Prices for 256GB DDR5 server memory modules from Hynix and Samsung have surged past 40,000 yuan ($5,700) each, with some reaching 49,999 yuan, according to third-party e-commerce platforms.

A box of 100 modules would cost nearly 5 million yuan, prompting industry insiders to say their “value now exceeds many Shanghai properties.”

The spike comes as soaring global demand for AI computing drives tight supply in the memory semiconductor market. Samsung and Hynix have informed customers in the server, PC, and smartphone sectors of planned price hikes for the first quarter, with increases of 60%–70% over fourth-quarter 2025 levels.

“Customers know Samsung and SK are unlikely to quickly expand capacity,” said a semiconductor industry source. Market research firm DRAMeXchange noted that large buyers can absorb the costs, and forecast first-quarter server DRAM prices to rise 60%–65%, citing the priority of profitable AI infrastructure over short-term DRAM costs.