Singapore Semiconductor Prices Stay Firm as AI Demand Lifts Memory, Foundry and Export Values
Epignosis Insights has released the “Singapore Semiconductor Industry Pricing Tracker – September 2026,” its monthly assessment of price movements across memory, foundry wafers, equipment and trade in one of Asia's most important semiconductor hubs. The tracker concludes that pricing across the Singapore semiconductor industry remains firmly in an upcycle, driven by AI-related demand, but that the pace of increases is beginning to slow as high base levels, long-term supply agreements and consumer affordability limits shape negotiations.
Key Highlights
• Conventional DRAM contract prices are expected to rise 13–18% quarter-on-quarter in 3Q26, with NAND Flash up 10–15%.
• Mature-node foundry wafer prices are set to rise 5–10% in 2H26, with a further round of increases likely in 2027.
• Singapore's electronics non-oil domestic exports (NODX) jumped 131.8% year-on-year in August 2026.
• The Singapore Manufactured Products Price Index rose 2.5% month-on-month in July 2026.
• Epignosis Insights expects firm prices across most categories in 4Q26, with smaller quarter-on-quarter gains than in 3Q26.
Pricing Momentum Remains Strong but Is Moderating
Epignosis Insights summarises the month's conditions as “firm and rising, with slowing momentum.” Global demand continues to support prices: the Semiconductor Industry Association reported worldwide chip sales of US$146.8 billion in July 2026, up 6.4% from June and 135.1% from a year earlier, marking the 17th consecutive month of sequential growth. The tracker notes that a large share of current revenue growth reflects higher prices rather than higher volumes, which has made pricing the most important variable for manufacturers operating in Singapore.
Memory Prices Hold at Record Levels
Memory remains the most price-sensitive category for Singapore, given Micron's large NAND manufacturing base and its new HBM advanced packaging facility. Citing TrendForce, the tracker reports that conventional DRAM contract prices are expected to rise 13–18% quarter-on-quarter in 3Q26 and NAND Flash contract prices 10–15%, with record prices pushing PC and smartphone brands close to their affordability limits.
Epignosis Insights observes a clear split between segments. Server DRAM and enterprise SSD pricing remain supported by AI inference and data-center deployments, while consumer-oriented products face growing resistance. The price effect is visible in company results: Micron's fiscal third-quarter 2026 revenue reached US$41.46 billion, compared with US$9.30 billion a year earlier, driven primarily by higher average selling prices.
Mature-Node Foundry Pricing Turns Upward
After a largely flat 2025, mature-node foundry pricing has become the second major price driver. UMC, which operates its Fab12i campus in Singapore, has notified customers of a wafer price adjustment for the second half of 2026. Analysts at Morgan Stanley, as reported in the financial press, assume increases of 5–10% in 2H26 and another 5–10% in 2027, with power-management and microcontroller products most affected.
The tracker highlights the implications for Singapore's specialty and mature-node capacity, including UMC's 22nm/28nm expansion, GlobalFoundries, SSMC and the VSMC fab due to start production in 2027. Firmer wafer pricing improves returns on new capacity, while buyers serving automotive and industrial markets are advised to secure volumes and pricing through long-term agreements before 2027 increases take effect.
Exports Reach a 38-Year High
Trade data provide the clearest evidence of how prices and volumes are combining. Enterprise Singapore data show that NODX rose 46.2% year-on-year in August 2026, the strongest growth since October 1988. Electronics NODX surged 131.8%, led by disk media products (290.2%), personal computers (237.9%) and integrated circuits (90.9%). Epignosis Insights attributes a large part of the increase to higher unit values, along with a favourable base effect from weaker months in 2025.
Producer Prices and Equipment Costs Rise
Official statistics point in the same direction. The Department of Statistics Singapore reported that the Singapore Manufactured Products Price Index rose 2.5% in July 2026 over June, while the Export Price Index was unchanged, suggesting that some cost increases are being absorbed within the supply chain. Equipment pricing is also firm: SEMI reported record global equipment billings of US$40.53 billion in the second quarter of 2026, up 23% year-on-year, which supports Singapore's toolmakers but raises costs for new fab projects.
Q4 2026 Outlook
Epignosis Insights expects Singapore semiconductor prices to close 2026 higher across all major categories, with the rate of increase easing in DRAM and NAND. Mature-node foundry pricing is likely to strengthen further into 2027, HBM pricing will remain largely set by annual contracts, and equipment pricing should stay firm. The main risks are demand destruction in consumer electronics, trade-policy changes, inventory build-ups at cloud providers and the fading of export base effects.
What to Watch Next
For the October edition, Epignosis Insights will monitor Micron's fiscal fourth-quarter results on September 30, September export data, fourth-quarter memory contract settlements, UMC's third-quarter commentary on 2027 pricing and August global sales figures to assess whether pricing momentum is plateauing or re-accelerating.
About the Tracker
The Singapore Semiconductor Industry Pricing Tracker is a monthly Epignosis Insights publication covering memory, foundry wafer, equipment and trade price signals, supported by price-direction outlooks, charts and a watchlist of upcoming indicators.
About Epignosis Insights
Epignosis Insights is a market research and brand intelligence consultancy headquartered in Pune, India. The firm delivers market sizing, competitive intelligence, syndicated research, commodity price tracking and brand health tracking across technology, industrial, automotive, consumer and financial services sectors.