Retail investors are increasing their investment in U.S. memory and data storage chipmakers in January, driven by expectations of high demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. This comes as a global shortage of memory chips is causing companies to compete for limited supply, supporting a backlog for memory chip makers.

Samsung’s co-CEO TM Roh called the memory chip shortage “unprecedented,” warning that constraints could persist for months or even years. SanDisk, whose shares have surged 65% in 2026, saw over $7.1 million in retail inflows in a single day, the largest one-day move on record.

Western Digital and Seagate Technology have also seen significant retail inflows in January, pointing towards a strong month for these companies. Micron Technology, a key player in the memory chip market, has seen an 18% increase in 2026 after a 240% rise in 2025, reflecting the growing interest in memory chips among investors.

Micron and SanDisk are among the most active stocks on Interactive Brokers’ platform, indicating high investor interest in these companies. SanDisk, which has seen its shares rise significantly since 2025, is the largest holding in the Roundhill Meme Stock ETF, showing its popularity among investors.

Overall, 2025 was a strong year for U.S. retail inflows, with individual investors playing a major role in driving the rally on Wall Street. Total flows for these three memory chip stocks reached over $117.2 million in 2025, highlighting the growing importance of retail investors in the market.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Retail traders pile into memory chipmakers as AI boom squeezes supplies, lifts prices