Server-Led eSSDs Hit 48% of NAND Shipments; YMTC Enters Global Top Three
- AI inference workloads drove enterprise SSDs to 48% of global NAND shipments in Q2 2026, nearly double the 26% share a year earlier.
- Samsung led shipments with 25%, down from 32% in Q2 2024 as it prioritized high-margin DRAM.
- SK hynix held second at 22% on a 40% QoQ jump in Solidigm bit shipments.
- YMTC entered the global Top 3 with a 14% shipment share, edging out Kioxia, though scale has yet to convert into revenue.
Seoul, Beijing, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Fort Collins, Hong Kong, London, New Delhi, Taipei, Tokyo–August 12,2026
The global NAND market in Q2 2026 was defined by the migration of AI workloads from training to inference, which pushed enterprise SSDs to 48% of total bits shipped and left consumer supply short. The resulting supply tightness pushed industry revenue to record levels, rising fivefold from Q2 2025.
According to Counterpoint Research’s Q2 2026 Memory & Storage Tracker, Samsung maintained its lead with a 25% shipment share, followed by SK hynix at 22%. YMTC climbed to third place with 14%, narrowly edging out Kioxia, with Micron trailing.
NAND Shipment Market Share in Q2 2026
AI has become the defining variable for NAND demand. As the AI paradigm shifts from training to inference, demand has surged for storage that can hold KV caches and datasets at high speed and low power.
Alongside premiumization toward ultra-high capacity and performance, eSSDs in servers are expected to absorb more than half of all NAND bits by the end of this year. This has pushed consumer ASPs to record highs.
These macro tailwinds are reshaping the supplier competitive landscape. Samsung faced capacity constraints, while a preference for high-margin DRAM capped its NAND output. SK hynix performance buoyed by subsidiary Solidigm, whose bit shipments grew 40% QoQ. YMTC grew 22% YoY and 5% QoQ, capitalizing on widespread shortages. It broadened supply to domestic OEMs while mass-producing 267-layer 3D NAND and advancing 300+ layer technology built on its Xtacking architecture.
Kioxia, ranked third in the previous quarter, directs more than 30% of its shipments to servers, but rising server prices slowed customer purchases and left its growth trailing behind YMTC’s. Micron rounded out the top five in shipments while still ranking ahead of YMTC in revenue.
Shipment volume, however, does not translate directly into revenue. YMTC ranked third in shipments this quarter but closed fifth in terms of revenue, behind Micron and Kioxia, because its product mix is still concentrated in consumer applications with a low share of high-priced data-center eSSDs. The Chinese vendor plans to shift its mix further towards eSSDs in the second half of the year to cement its third-place position globally, supported by growing avenues for capital support. The same dynamic now frames the industry: with servers set to take most NAND bits, profitability through 2027 will be decided less by who ships the most bits, but who ships the right mix.
About Counterpoint Research
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Author
MS Hwang
MS Hwang is a research director at Counterpoint, specializing in memory semiconductor research. MS Hwang brings over 30 years of experience from Samsung Electronics and sell-side brokerage research roles including ABN AMRO, Goldman Sachs, Credit Suisse and Samsung Securities.
Neil Shah
Neil is a sought-after frequently-quoted Industry Analyst with a wide spectrum of rich multifunctional experience. He is a knowledgeable, adept, and accomplished strategist. In the last 18 years he has offered expert strategic advice that has been highly regarded across different industries especially in telecom. Prior to Counterpoint, Neil worked at Strategy Analytics as a Senior Analyst (Telecom). Neil also had an opportunity to work with Philips Electronics in multiple roles. He is also an IEEE Certified Wireless Professional with a Master of Science (Telecommunications & Business) from the University of Maryland, College Park, USA.