According to TrendForce's latest findings, the global MLCC industry will show a more polarized landscape in 1Q26 due to ongoing political and economic turbulence. While the U.S. tariffs and escalating geopolitical risks continue to increase supply chain uncertainty, the market for high-end MLCCs is sharply rebounding, driven by the commercialization of embodied AI applications. In contrast, the mid- to low-end MLCC segments are struggling due to seasonal downturns and rising raw material costs, which dampen demand for traditional consumer electronics and increase operational challenges for manufacturers.
1Q26 conventional DRAM contract prices raised to +90–95% QoQ; NAND Flash to +55–60% QoQ. CSPs, server OEMs, and PC OEMs broadly face DRAM supply gaps; PC DRAM prices are expected to at least double QoQ in 1Q26. Strong North American CSP demand lifts enterprise SSD orders; prices projected to rise 53–58% QoQ in 1Q26.
TrendForce’s latest research indicates that AI innovation is causing a fundamental shift in the memory market. As data access volumes continue to grow, AI systems depend more on high-bandwidth, high-capacity, low-latency DRAM to handle large-scale model parameters, long-sequence inference, and multi-task parallel processing. Additionally, NAND Flash has become essential for fast data transfer, making memory a key component in AI infrastructure and a strategic focus for CSPs.
North American CSPs' continued investments in AI infrastructure are expected to increase global AI server shipments by more than 28% YoY in 2026, according to the latest market research from TrendForce. The rapid growth of AI inference services is boosting demand for general-purpose servers, supporting both replacement and expansion efforts. Consequently, TrendForce predicts that total global server shipments, including AI servers, will accelerate from 2025, with a 12.8% YoY growth in 2026.
TrendForce’s latest DRAM industry survey reveals that Micron intends to acquire PSMC’s Tongluo fab in Taiwan (excluding production equipment) for US$1.8 billion. The deal also includes a long-term partnership for future DRAM packaging services. This collaboration aims to enable Micron to increase its capacity for advanced-node DRAM while boosting PSMC’s supply of mature-node DRAM, potentially improving the global DRAM supply outlook by 2027.