Dublin, Jan. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "NAND Flash Memory - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts (2026-2031)" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.
The NAND flash memory market is projected to grow steadily, with an estimated value of USD 58.69 billion in 2026, up from USD 55.73 billion in 2025. By 2031, it's expected to reach USD 76.03 billion, growing at a CAGR of 5.32% from 2026 to 2031. This expansion is driven by increased spending on artificial-intelligence clusters in hyperscale data centers, transitions of client PCs and game consoles to solid-state storage, and advancements in vertically-scaled 3D architectures that continue to reduce cost-per-bit.
National incentives aiming to localize semiconductor fabrication are enhancing supply resilience, particularly in the United States and Saudi Arabia. Breakthroughs in layer counts exceeding 300 layers and the adoption of PCIe 5.0 technology are reducing replacement cycles for enterprise and consumer SSDs. The ongoing rollout of 5G and the proliferation of massive IoT endpoints are expanding the market demand, charting a stable growth trajectory for the NAND flash memory market.
Global NAND Flash Memory Market Trends and Insights
Data-center AI/ML storage surge
Hyperscale operators are restructuring storage hierarchies, positioning NVMe SSD pools closer to GPU clusters to maintain high throughput. Western Digital projects a demand of 19,000 petabytes of NAND by 2029 for 5G-enabled devices, highlighting flash's pivotal role in bridging memory and storage gaps. Procurement increasingly favors large 30 TB to 100 TB enterprise drives, as evidenced by Samsung's 128 TB BM1743 SSD debuting in 2024. This shift accelerates innovations in layer-count and controller-level compression, propelling the market forward.
5G and massive-IoT device proliferation
Standalone 5G networks facilitate smart applications requiring local storage for immediate processing. As capacities surpass 8 GB, a NOR-to-NAND shift is expected. Semiconductor strategies prioritize extended-temperature QLC die and automotive-standard NVMe designs, extending the market into transportation and infrastructure.
Endurance limits of high-density cells
QLC faces endurance challenges with its 1,000-3,000 program/erase cycle threshold, necessitating over-provisioning. While algorithms help mitigate wear, alternative memories like PLC and cross-point tech could temper market growth until longevity is secured.
Other drivers and restraints analyzed in the detailed report include:
- PC/Console transition from HDD to SSD
- Enterprise pivot to cost-efficient QLC SSDs
- Pricing cyclicality and cap-ex burden
Segment Analysis
TLC devices commanded 63.58% of the market due to balanced endurance and cost features. QLC is growing faster with a 6.35% CAGR, thanks to its higher density advantage. Samsung's 280-layer QLC prototype points to future single-sided designs that maximize space efficiency and meet performance needs for AI applications. SLC-cache techniques and on-die error correction narrow the performance gap, promoting broader adoption in applications like video-on-demand libraries and backup systems.
Consumer notebooks show continued support for TLC, but declining QLC cost-per-bit is impacting mid-range models. Micron's sixth-gen QLC shows significant latency improvements, which could lead to tiered offerings where high-capacity models utilize QLC and premium models use advanced TLC nodes. This competitive dynamic keeps both TLC and QLC at the forefront of the market.
The completion of the shift to vertical stacking resulted in 3D NAND accounting for 86.85% of the market in 2025. Innovations like SK Hynix's 321-layer TLC and Samsung's over-400-layer V-NAND aim for significant advances beyond the 500-layer threshold, enhancing capacity without reducing cell size. Meanwhile, 2D NAND remains relevant in specialized applications requiring ultra-low-latency writes.
Advanced strategies such as Kioxia's CMOS-bonded-array improve stack efficiency, while Samsung's exploration into hafnia ferroelectrics aims to maintain performance margins even with taller stacks.
The NAND Flash Memory Report divides the market into segments based on Type (SLC, MLC, TLC, QLC), Structure (2D and 3D NAND), Interface (SATA, PCIe/NVMe, UFS/eMMC), Application (Smartphones, SSDs for PC and Console, Enterprise/Data-Center SSDs, and more), and Geography. Market forecasts are provided in terms of USD value.
Geography Analysis
Asia-Pacific led the market with 55.40% share in 2025, driven by strong manufacturing and tech leadership from South Korea and China. Samsung and SK Hynix's advances in layer technology illustrate the region's continued leadership. In North America, the CHIPS and Science Act supports Micron's expansive domestic plans, enhancing advanced-memory capabilities. Contributions from Canada and Mexico further diversify the supply chain.
Europe shows a steady market share influenced by demand from automotive and industrial sectors in Germany and France. Environmental initiatives are steering the market towards energy-efficient PCIe 5.0 SSDs. In the Middle East and Africa, growth is propelled by Saudi Arabia's strategic investments under Vision 2030 and supportive policy frameworks that attract manufacturing partnerships, enabling market expansion.
List of companies covered in this report:
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- SK hynix Inc.
- KIOXIA Holdings Corporation
- Western Digital Corporation
- Micron Technology, Inc.
- Nanya Technology Corporation
- Powerchip Technology Corporation
- Winbond Electronics Corporation
- Macronix International Co., Ltd.
- Silicon Motion Technology Corp.
- Phison Electronics Corp.
- Kingston Technology Company, Inc.
- ADATA Technology Co., Ltd.
- Transcend Information, Inc.
- GigaDevice Semiconductor Inc.
- SK Group (Solid-State Storage division)
- PNY Technologies, Inc.
- Team Group Inc.
- Longsys Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Smart Modular Technologies, Inc.
For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dhlhov
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