Two weeks ago, in the article “Storage №1: A Guide to Investing in U.S. and South Korean Stocks in 2026 and How to Act After the Google TurboQuant Scandal,” it was clearly stated: the event caused a short-term correction in market sentiment, which was a great opportunity to buy storage assets at a low price. Did you take the opportunity for early purchases?

Today, we will look at what prospects await the data storage market in the future.
1. Explosive growth in Q1, the supercycle officially confirmed
Data for the first quarter of 2026 completely dispelled the question of “overheated demand for AI storage.”
Contract prices for DRAM increased by 80%-95% compared to the previous quarter, NAND Flash by 55%-70%, inventories of the three largest manufacturers dropped to a historic low, and HBM capacities were sold out through 2027 — meaning if you contact manufacturers now, they will kindly tell you there will be no stock even next year.
Financial results are also impressive: Samsung Electronics’ revenue in Q1 2026 grew by 68.1% year-over-year, profit increased by 755%, and many metrics set new historical records. Almost all of this explosive growth is driven by one factor: the supercycle of data storage for artificial intelligence.
On the demand side, steady growth in AI server orders has been recorded, with the total demand for intelligent computing in China exceeding 46%, and demand in both the consumer and corporate segments is synchronized. Despite the sector’s recovery from minimal levels, its valuation remains within reasonable limits — high prices are justified, but there is no significant overheating.