Boxes of 100 server-grade DDR5 memory now cost as much as property in Shanghai in China spot market — single 256GB server sticks now over $5,700
In China’s spot market, vendors are quoting prices that put a box of 100 high-capacity DDR5 server memory modules at roughly 5 million yuan,
(Image credit: Getty / CFOTO)
Colossal DRAM prices are reaching China's spot market, prompting a viral comparison on social media after it emerged that a standard shipping carton of server memory now costs more than some real estate properties in Shanghai. In China’s spot market, vendors are quoting prices that put a box of 100 high-capacity DDR5 server memory modules at roughly 5 million yuan, a sum that easily rivals or exceeds the value of many apartments for sale in Shanghai, according to recent reporting by the South China Morning Post.
The math behind this concerns 256GB DDR5 server modules from Samsung and SK hynix, which, according to figures cited by Chinese outlet Jiemian, have climbed beyond 40,000 yuan ($5,700) for individual sticks, with some listings reaching as high as 49,999 yuan. At those levels, a wholesale carton quickly crosses seven figures in U.S. dollar terms, effectively turning what was once bog-standard inventory into a serious asset.
China’s domestic memory ambitions do little to ease near-term pressure. While local producers are expanding and preparing new financing rounds, they remain small compared to the established Korean suppliers that dominate high-capacity server DRAM. For now, that leaves China’s market exposed to global supply decisions and prone to sudden price spikes.
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Luke James is a freelance writer and journalist. Although his background is in legal, he has a personal interest in all things tech, especially hardware and microelectronics, and anything regulatory.