Multilayer Ceramic Capacitors (MLCCs) are compact, widely used components for filtering, decoupling, energy storage, and voltage regulation in smartphones, PCs, vehicles, communication equipment, and servers.
In 2026, AI infrastructure is reshaping MLCC demand. AI servers need more high-capacity, high-reliability MLCCs, while major Japanese and Korean suppliers shift capacity toward AI and automotive applications. This has widened the gap between high-end MLCCs and conventional consumer products, affecting product mix, capacity allocation, and pricing.
AI Is Driving a New Wave of MLCC Demand
The rapid surge in AI computing demand is driving MLCC into a new demand cycle. Industry data shows that an NVIDIA GB200 compute board uses around 6,500 MLCCs, while the new Rubin compute board requires roughly 12,000. For an NVIDIA NVL72 rack, total MLCC consumption can reach about 440,000 pieces.
The same trend applies to AI workstations. Manufacturers report that upgrading a regular mini PC to an AI workstation can multiply its MLCC usage by 2–3 times, with particularly strong growth for high-capacity MLCCs. Rising MLCC demand is not limited to GPU servers. Expanding AI infrastructure also requires massive quantities of high-performance MLCCs for AI accelerators, Google TPU, Amazon Trainium and other dedicated computing platforms.
Therefore, the ongoing MLCC industry upturn reflects structural demand growth driven by AI infrastructure expansion, rather than a temporary GPU supply-chain boom. As AI servers, dedicated accelerators and edge-AI devices continue to evolve, high-capacity, high-reliability MLCCs will grow even more critical.
MLCC Prices Show a Clear Market Split
The rising AI demand and shifting supply structure have created stark MLCC price divergence in 2026. Driven by demand from AI servers and automotive electronics, high-capacitance, high-reliability MLCCs remain in tight supply. In contrast, some standard consumer-grade MLCCs have seen price corrections after earlier gains amid weak end-market demand. This MLCC market rally is not broad-based; it features clear structural disparity across product tiers.
High-Capacitance MLCC Prices Surge
Since 2026, pricing of high-capacitance MLCCs for AI servers has drawn wide attention. Major suppliers including Murata, Taiyo Yuden and Samsung Electro-Mechanics have adjusted pricing for selected products. Factory prices for AI-server high-capacitance MLCCs generally rose by 15%–35%.
Spot market fluctuations are even more dramatic. Take the 1206 package, 47μF high-capacitance MLCC as an example. The spot prices stood at roughly 300 CNY per 2,000 units in May, climbed to 600–720 CNY per 2,000 units in June, and hit around 1582 CNY per 2,000 units by September 23, representing a ~427% jump from May.
Still, spot quotes cannot fully represent the overall MLCC market. Direct factory pricing is relatively stable, while spot prices are highly sensitive to supply-demand balance, channel inventory and purchasing activities. When supply tightens or market sentiment heats up, popular part numbers can see sharp short-term swings, creating large gaps versus official factory prices.
Consumer MLCCs Face a Different Market
Compared with high-capacitance MLCCs deployed in AI servers and automotive electronics, standard consumer-grade MLCCs operate in a different market climate. Weak demand for smartphones, PCs and other consumer electronics leaves ample supply for some standard, low-capacitance MLCCs, triggering price pullbacks after prior increases.
AI servers and automotive electronics keep lifting demand for high-capacitance, high-reliability MLCCs. Japanese and Korean manufacturers have redirected part of their production capacity toward these premium products, further squeezing supply of high-end components. On the other hand, mid/low-capacitance consumer MLCCs carry lower technical barriers and have abundant production capacity. Weak end-user demand may lead to oversupply in this segment.
Why Are MLCC Supplies Becoming Tight?
Tightening MLCC supply stems from multiple factors. While AI server demand surges, major manufacturers are reshaping their product and capacity mix, and capacity expansion for high-end MLCC takes substantial time. In addition, rising costs for raw materials such as ceramic powder and nickel powder add further cost pressure to suppliers.
Japanese and Korean Suppliers Are Shifting Capacity
Japanese and Korean suppliers have long held a major share of the high-end MLCC market. Driven by growing demand from AI servers and automotive electronics, Murata, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Taiyo Yuden are restructuring their product portfolios and allocating more resources to high-value MLCC for AI servers, automotive and other premium applications.
Murata’s product line optimization serves as a typical example. The firm plans to phase out selected MLCC grades gradually in FY2026, covering standard consumer series and some automotive part numbers, while expanding capacity for other products. Market analysts note that with limited production capacity, such shifts help manufacturers prioritize resources for higher-margin, technically demanding products.
High-End MLCC Capacity Is Difficult to Expand Quickly
Even if manufacturers aim to ramp up output rapidly, high-end MLCC supply cannot increase sharply in the short run. Building and launching new production lines normally takes 18–24 months. High-capacitance, small-form-factor and high-reliability MLCC impose stricter requirements on materials, processes and yield rates.
Ultra-high-capacitance MLCC, in particular, must deliver greater capacitance within a smaller package while maintaining stable electrical performance and reliability. Capacity expansion does not translate immediately into mass market supply; yield improvement also requires time. Meanwhile, AI infrastructure construction advances at a fast pace. Therefore, high-end MLCC supply will struggle to fully keep up with AI demand in the near term.
Raw Material Costs Are Also Rising
Beyond supply-demand dynamics, climbing raw material costs create extra pressure for MLCC makers. MLCC production relies on key materials including barium titanate, nickel powder and rare-earth additives, alongside processing materials such as PET release film. Since 2026, geopolitical tensions, inflation and shifting supply of certain raw materials have pushed up manufacturing costs. Materials like barium titanate, nickel powder and rare-earth additives directly determine MLCC production expenses.
MLCC Market Outlook: What to Expect Through 2027
Looking ahead to 2027, AI will continue driving high-end MLCC demand. Next-generation AI servers, Rubin computing platforms, automotive AI, edge AI and humanoid robots will further raise requirements and consumption of high-capacity, high-reliability MLCCs.
Major MLCC vendors including Murata and domestic Chinese manufacturers are expanding capacity. As new lines ramp up and yields improve, supply tension will gradually ease. However, high-end MLCC capacity requires long lead times, so new output cannot be released quickly. The 2027 market will depend on the balance between rising AI demand and incremental capacity.
Meanwhile, the MLCC upturn faces uncertainties. Weak consumer electronics demand, slower global growth and cooling AI investment may curb overall market growth. Earlier-than-expected capacity release and inventory recovery could reshape supply and demand. In addition, alternative capacitor technologies may gradually replace MLCCs in partial applications.
Ande Electronics: Your Reliable Partner for MLCC Sourcing
As AI infrastructure continues to expand, MLCC demand is becoming increasingly focused on high-capacitance, high-reliability products. At the same time, capacity shifts, long production lead times and changing end-market demand are making MLCC sourcing more complex. For buyers, access to multiple manufacturers and product options can provide greater flexibility when supply conditions change.
ANDE Electronics offers MLCC products from multiple leading manufacturers, including CCTC, Samsung, Murata, TAIYO YUDEN, TDK, and others. With a broad range of specifications and manufacturers available, Ande Electronics helps customers find suitable MLCC solutions for AI servers, automotive electronics, consumer electronics, industrial equipment, and other applications.
As the MLCC market continues to evolve through 2027, monitoring product specifications, manufacturer capacity and supply conditions will remain important for procurement. Ande Electronics can support customers with MLCC sourcing across different brands and applications, helping simplify component selection and supply management.
