Lawsuit alleges price fixing in the RAM market

A new lawsuit has been filed against the world’s three largest DRAM suppliers, alleging that the companies engaged in price‑fixing practices that contributed to the sharp rise in global memory prices over the past year. The complaint targets Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron, which collectively control the vast majority of the DRAM market and therefore have significant influence over supply and pricing.

As reported by Law360 (via VGC), the lawsuit claims the companies coordinated to restrict output and artificially inflate prices during a period that industry analysts have dubbed the “rampocalypse”. Over the last 12 months, RAM prices have surged across the board, with many DDR4 and DDR5 kits doubling in cost compared to 2023. This has affected everything from PCs and laptops to smartphones, game consoles and other consumer electronics segments.

The filing alleges that Samsung, SK Hynix and Micron “conspired to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize prices” by manipulating supply conditions, including by shifting production over to ‘less profitable' HBM chips and reducing supply of typical DDR memory modules. The complaint argues that because these three companies dominate DRAM production globally, any coordinated action would have a widespread impact on pricing.

None of the companies named in the lawsuit have issued public statements in response to the allegations. DRAM pricing has historically fluctuated due to changes in demand, production capacity and wafer allocation, though the spikes over the past year have been the highest seen to date.

KitGuru Says: These are some lofty allegations that will be difficult to prove. Assuming the lawsuit moves ahead, it could be years before we see a resolution. 

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