Highlights
- Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron face a U.S. DRAM lawsuit.
- Lawsuit alleges AI memory shift reduced consumer DRAM supply.
- The complaint also references earlier investigations into the DRAM market.
SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron are facing a proposed class action lawsuit in the U.S. over allegations that they worked together to restrict DRAM supply and drive up prices. The lawsuit was filed on June 25, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
Law360 first reported the filing. It claims the three companies shifted to artificial intelligence (AI) memory and reduced consumer DRAM supply.
DRAM Price Fixing Lawsuit Alleges Coordinated Shift to AI Memory
The complaint says SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron control almost the entire global DRAM market. It alleges they reduced production of DDR3 and DDR4 memory while increasing output of high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which is mainly used in AI data centers.
According to the filing, the companies "simultaneously cut production, coordinated a pivot to HBM and exit from DDR3 and DDR4." The plaintiffs argue this reduced supply and forced consumers and businesses to pay "supracompetitive prices" for DRAM and products that use it.
The lawsuit argues the market should have responded differently. Higher prices typically encourage manufacturers to increase production. Instead, it claims conventional DRAM supply continued to shrink despite rising demand. It also argues that new competitors cannot easily enter the market because DRAM fabrication plants cost tens of billions of dollars, take years to build, and rely on decades of manufacturing expertise.
The filing also cites U.S. export controls as another barrier to competition.
Filing References Earlier DRAM Cases
The complaint also points to previous investigations involving the same companies. In 2005, Samsung and SK Hynix pleaded guilty to DRAM price-fixing charges and paid fines of $300M USD and $185M, respectively.
Meanwhile, Micron avoided prosecution after reporting the same and cooperating with U.S. authorities during the investigation. The lawsuit also references a Chinese investigation into DRAM pricing between 2016 and 2018 after a sharp spike in memory prices. It argues that the current allegations represent a third similar cycle involving the same companies.
The lawsuit comes as memory prices continue to affect the technology industry. Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Apple, and Valve have all raised hardware prices or cited rising memory costs in recent months.
The proposed class action seeks to hold the three chipmakers accountable, though the allegations have not yet been proven in court.
