Worldwide 300mm fab equipment investment in the memory sector will surpass $50 billion for the first time in 2026, rising 29% to $52 billion, SEMI reported in its latest 300mm Fab Outlook.
DRAM equipment spending is projected to grow 29% to $37 billion in 2026, fueled by HBM demand for AI accelerators and DDR5 for data centers. NAND equipment spending is forecast to rise 28% to $14 billion, driven by increasing data storage requirements tied to AI deployment.
“Strong demand for HBM and other advanced memory technologies is reshaping investment priorities across the semiconductor supply chain,” said SEMI President and CEO Ajit Manocha.
The outlook projects another 11% increase to $57 billion in 2027, with memory equipment spending reaching nearly $80 billion by 2029 — a 19% CAGR from 2024. Global 300mm memory capacity is expected to hit 4.1 million wafers per month in 2026 and 4.2 million in 2027.
The report tracks 413 facilities and lines globally, incorporating 155 updates and seven new fab projects since March 2026. Effective capacity growth remains moderated by technology migration to advanced-node DRAM, HBM, and higher-layer NAND transitions.
