Barclays Bank has reported that the global trend of memory price inversion is becoming increasingly pronounced. As of October 2026, the contract price for DDR4 memory chips saw a month-on-month increase of 4%, culminating in a total rise of 24% over the past three months. This surge outpaces the 20% increase observed for DDR5. It is anticipated that memory prices will sustain their high levels and continue to climb robustly throughout 2026. The pricing approach for new customer supply agreements has undergone a transformation, shifting from a framework based on minimum and maximum prices to dynamic adjustments that align with prevailing market rates. In reaction to supply constraints, chip designers are implementing strategies to scale back specifications. At present, this serves as a temporary measure to cope with the situation; however, if memory shortages persist, it could potentially evolve into a long-term trend. An analysis by Citibank reveals that the supply deficit in both the DRAM and NAND markets is projected to persist until 2028. Specifically, DRAM demand is expected to outstrip supply by a peak margin of 13.9% in the fourth quarter of 2027, while the NAND supply gap is forecast to reach 8.3% in the first quarter of 2028.