Apple CEO Tim Cook Flags 'Extreme Shortage' While DRAM ETF Smashes $25 Billion, Surging Over 170% Since Listing

A severe supply crunch in the memory chip sector has set off alarm bells for tech giants like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL ), even as the Roundhill Memory ETF (BATS: DRAM ) has shattered Wall Street records, crossing $25 billion in assets under management since its launch on April 2, 2026.

Tech Giants Squeezed By Supply The AI revolution is driving unexpected inflation in the hardware sector, with demand vastly outstripping supply.

Apple CEO Tim Cook characterized the current market dynamics as a “100-year flood,” noting he has “never seen anything like it in any area in over 40 years.” This environment has created an “extreme shortage” of critical memory components.

Consequently, tech leaders are facing massive input cost hikes, which are translating into consumer price increases on products like MacBooks and iPads.

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA ) CEO Elon Musk echoed this sentiment, pointing to the biggest price jumps he has ever witnessed.

Read Also: Micron CEO Says AI Memory Shortage Could Last Beyond 2028: These ETFs Are Positioned To Profit $DRAM ETF’s Historic Run While hyperscalers bear the brunt of these costs, semiconductor and memory companies are capturing historic “windfall profits.” This immense wealth transfer is perfectly illustrated by the unprecedented rise of the DRAM ETF.

Launched on April 2, 2026, the fund has experienced weekly inflows “like nothing we’ve seen before,” according to Creative Planning market strategist Charlie Bilello.

It has gained 173.52% since listing.

By June 25, the ETF had amassed $25.06 billion, making it the fastest ETF in history to conquer the $10 billion, $15 billion, $20 billion, and $25 billion milestones.

This rapid ascent is fueled by heavy concentration in the companies dominating the supply crunch.

The ETF’s top seven holdings account for 76.69% of its total assets, led heavily by South Korean memory powerhouses: Company % Assets SK Hynix Inc.

24.75% Samsung Electronics Co.

Ltd.

16.34% First American Government Obligations Fund 14.90% Kioxia Holdings Corp.

6.57% Sandisk Corp. (NASDAQ: SNDK ) 5.11% Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU ) 4.84% Seagate Technology Holdings PLC (NASDAQ: STX ) 4.19% A Massive Market Disconnect The surging cost of AI infrastructure has created a profound divergence in the tech sector.

While memory stocks boast exponential returns, the “Magnificent 7” companies—which are paying top dollar for these components—are beginning to feel the strain of their investments.

Bilello warns that this unchecked spending may not be sustainable. “Eventually, the cure for high prices is high prices,” he noted, suggesting that buyers will eventually be forced to question their spending pace.

Until that breaking point, however, the companies selling the shovels continue to dictate the market narrative.

DRAM has gained 16.85% over the last month and 6.69% over the last five days.

It closed 2.65% higher at $73.85 apiece on Tuesday and was lower by 4.92% in overnight trading.

Read Also: Could SanDisk Be The Biggest AI Memory Winner? Bernstein Points To Hidden Advantage Over Micron Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published editors.

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