SMIC Boss Says Chip Industry Is 'A Bit Panicked' Over Memory Crisis
Memory prices have surged over 80% in 2026 as shortages grip the semiconductor industry.
The head of China's biggest contract chipmaker just dropped a reality check on the memory market. SMIC CEO Zhao Haijun says the industry is "a bit panicked" about ongoing memory shortages—and relief isn't coming anytime soon.
Memory prices have skyrocketed more than 80% in 2026. That's not a typo. The squeeze is real, and it's hitting hard across the tech supply chain.
The silver lining? Zhao says new supply could hit the market in about nine months. Until then, expect the panic to continue.
For anyone building hardware, buying servers, or manufacturing devices, this is the kind of bottleneck that rewrites budgets and delays roadmaps. The memory crunch isn't just a China problem—it's everyone's problem.