Samsung Electronics Tops NAND Market in Q2... China's YMTC Rises to Third Place

by Han Yeju

Published 12 Aug.2026 19:32(KST)

Samsung Secures 25% Share of Global NAND Shipments
SK hynix Holds 22% Market Share

Samsung Electronics maintained its position as the top player in the global NAND flash market in the second quarter of this year. China's Yangtze Memory Technologies (YMTC) made it into the global top three for the first time.

According to market research firm Counterpoint Research on August 12, Samsung Electronics accounted for 25% of global NAND shipments in the second quarter of this year, securing the number one spot. However, as the company prioritized the production of high-margin DRAM products, its shipment share declined from 32% two years ago.

SK hynix (including Solidigm) ranked second with a 22% market share. This was due to a 40% increase in shipment volume by its subsidiary Solidigm compared to the previous quarter.

NAND flash market share in Q2 this year. Counterpoint Research

China's YMTC surpassed Kioxia for the first time to enter the global top three, with a 14% share based on shipment volume. YMTC's shipments rose by 22% year-on-year and 5% quarter-on-quarter, allowing it to expand its share amid ongoing supply shortages. However, due to a relatively low proportion of high-priced data center eSSDs, the company ranked fifth in terms of revenue, following Micron of the United States and Kioxia.

Meanwhile, eSSDs accounted for 48% of global NAND shipments in the second quarter of this year. This is up 22 percentage points from 26% during the same period last year. As demand for server products absorbed NAND volumes rapidly, supply of consumer products became limited, and industry revenue surged fivefold compared to the same period last year, reaching an all-time high.

Counterpoint Research analyzed, "By the end of this year, server eSSDs will account for more than half of all NAND shipments," adding, "Going forward, the profitability of the NAND market will depend more on a portfolio of high value-added products rather than on overall shipment volume."