AI 수요가 메모리 칩 순위를 재편하는 가운데 Micron이 세계 DRAM 시장 2위에 가까워지고 있다.

Micron Technology is breathing down SK Hynix's neck. According to Counterpoint Research data for Q2 2026, the Idaho-based chipmaker now holds roughly 24-25% of the global DRAM market, just one percentage point behind SK Hynix's 25-26% share. Samsung Electronics remains comfortably on top at 38-39%, but the real story is the narrowing gap between second and third place in a market that has exploded in size.

Micron's revenue share climbed from 22% in the prior quarter. That kind of quarter-over-quarter jump doesn't happen because of good vibes. It happens because of AI.

The total DRAM market hit $154.73B in revenue for Q2 2026, a staggering 59.5% increase from the previous quarter. Year-over-year growth has been even more dramatic, with some players posting triple-digit percentage gains. This isn't a gentle tailwind—it's a demand shock driven by AI server infrastructure that has outpaced supply and kept contract prices elevated.

Micron's revenue reached approximately $36B in the quarter, up 65.5% from the prior period and roughly fivefold compared to a year earlier. Samsung posted about $60.98B, a 63.4% quarterly increase. SK Hynix came in at $38.59B, growing 37.9% quarter-over-quarter and 214% year-over-year.

SK Hynix still leads Micron in absolute revenue, but the growth rate gap tells a different story. Micron's 65.5% quarterly revenue jump outpaced both larger rivals, suggesting momentum has firmly shifted to Boise's side.

SK Hynix's relatively slower growth stems from strategic concentration. The South Korean company has leaned heavily into high-bandwidth memory, the specialized chips for Nvidia's AI accelerators—a lucrative business that comes at the cost of conventional DRAM share. Micron, by contrast, has focused on higher-priced server DRAM across the broader AI infrastructure buildout, capturing demand across a wider product range.

While the top-of-the-table drama gets attention, the more structurally significant shift may be occurring further down the rankings. CXMT, the Chinese memory chipmaker formerly known as ChangXin Memory Technologies, has grown its market share to an estimated 7-10%, up from just 4% a year earlier—directly at the expense of the incumbent trio. The combined share of Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron has dropped from around 94% to approximately 87%. CXMT's growth has concentrated in conventional DRAM rather than cutting-edge HBM products, making it a direct competitive threat in commodity tiers.

Micron's strategic positioning reflects a bet that AI infrastructure spending will remain the dominant growth engine for memory chips. The company has prioritized server DRAM production, which carries higher average selling prices than consumer-grade memory. That decision is clearly paying off in market share terms, even if it means ceding some volume in lower-margin categories.

Samsung remains the clear leader but faces pressure from both directions: Micron gaining ground in the premium segment and CXMT expanding in the commodity tier. SK Hynix faces perhaps the most interesting strategic dilemma. Its heavy bet on HBM has made it Nvidia's primary memory supplier—a position of enormous strategic value. But that concentration has left it vulnerable to share loss in the broader DRAM market.