Server-grade DDR5 memory prices have surged to extraordinary levels in China’s spot market, prompting viral comparisons to real estate after it emerged that a single carton of server DRAM can now cost as much as an apartment in Shanghai.
According to reporting by the South China Morning Post, vendors are quoting prices of around 5 million yuan for a standard box of 100 high-capacity DDR5 server modules. The spike is driven by 256GB DDR5 sticks from Samsungand SK hynix, which Chinese outlet Jiemian says are now priced above 40,000 yuan ($5,700) per unit, with some listings nearing 50,000 yuan.
At those levels, what was once routine inventory has effectively become a high-value asset. Yet demand is failing to keep pace. Traders in Huaqiangbei, China’s key electronics trading hub, report that buyers are increasingly hesitant. While quotes have soared, transactions have slowed sharply, with merchants describing the prices as “outrageous” and warning of the risk of being stuck with unsellable, ultra-expensive stock.
The surge reflects a broader global shift. Memory suppliers have moved capacity toward AI-focused server and high-bandwidth memory, tightening conventional DRAM supply ahead of expected contract price hikes in early 2026. China’s domestic memory makers remain too small to offset this pressure, leaving the market exposed.
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