TIMELINE: GPU Export Controls, NVIDIA GPU Bans, & AI GPU Black Market

2018 GPU Export Controls

August 2018

August 13: The US authorities created the Nationwide Safety Fee on Synthetic Intelligence (NSCAI) as a part of the John S. McCain Nationwide Protection Authorization Act for Fiscal Yr 2019. The NSCAI had 15 commissioners who have been nominated by Congress and the Government Department. The NSCAI was tasked with investigating how the US ought to compete in AI within the fashionable age and recommending actions for Congress and the chief department.

Within the phrases of the unique doc, the commissioners “shall take into account the strategies and means essential to advance the event of synthetic intelligence, machine studying, and related applied sciences by the US to comprehensively tackle the nationwide safety and protection wants of the US.”

2019 GPU Export Controls

Might 2019

Might 15: Citing nationwide safety dangers, the US authorities added Huawei to its Entity Listing and restricted gross sales of Huawei’s gear into the US. 

2020 GPU Export Controls

Might 2020

Might 19: The US restricted semiconductor designs, chipsets, and applied sciences to Huawei and its international associates. 

2021 GPU Export Controls

March 2021

The Nationwide Safety Fee on Synthetic Intelligence (NSCAI) launched its last report. The report supplied suggestions to “advance the event of synthetic intelligence, machine studying, and related applied sciences to comprehensively tackle the nationwide safety and protection wants of the US.”

As a part of the report (web page 216), the NSCAI really helpful the US authorities and its allies “make the most of focused export controls on high-end semiconductor manufacturing gear… to guard current technical benefits and gradual the development of China’s semiconductor trade.” 

Additional on (web page 228), the report stated, “Wanting throughout the AI stack, the {hardware} part of the AI stack incorporates probably the most viable targets for conventional export controls.” The report (web page 231) centered on semiconductor manufacturing gear for export management guidelines: “The first U.S. export management goal to constrain rivals’ AI capabilities must be subtle semiconductor manufacturing gear (SME) essential to manufacture high-end chips.” 

The report talked about export controls for GPUs (web page 500) as a means “to stop using

high-end U.S. AI chips in human rights violations.”

April 2021

NSCAI Commissioner Christopher Darby spoke at NVIDIA GTC concerning the NSCAI’s report back to Congress.

October 2021

October 1: The NSCAI formally ended on October 1, 2021. 

2022 GPU Export Controls

August 2022

August 31: NVIDIA filed a Type 8-Ok with the SEC to tell buyers that the US authorities had instantly blocked exports of its A100 and H100 chips to China, together with Hong Kong. The export controls included DGX or different programs that incorporate an A100, H100, or A100X. Within the monetary paperwork, NVIDIA stated the US authorities knowledgeable it of the export restrictions on August 26, 2022. NVIDIA said that its third-quarter outcomes included as much as $400 million in anticipated gross sales to China that have been now unsure because of the export restrictions.

September 2022

September 1: NVIDIA filed a brand new Type 8-Ok to let clients know that the US authorities had supplied some exemptions for sure chip exports: 

“The U.S. authorities has licensed exports, reexports, and in-country transfers wanted to proceed NVIDIA Company’s, or the Firm’s, growth of H100 built-in circuits after the Firm filed its Present Report on Type 8-Ok with the U.S. Securities and Trade Fee on August 31, 2022. The authorization additionally permits the Firm to carry out exports wanted to offer help for U.S. clients of A100 by means of March 1, 2023. Moreover, the U.S. authorities licensed A100 and H100 order achievement and logistics by means of the Firm’s Hong Kong facility by means of September 1, 2023.”

Following NVIDIA’s SEC submitting, media retailers reported the US authorities ordered NVIDIA to cease promoting superior AI chips to China. 

• “We’re working with our clients in China to fulfill their deliberate or future purchases with different merchandise and will search licenses the place replacements aren’t adequate. The one present merchandise that the brand new licensing requirement applies to are A100, H100 and programs similar to DGX that embrace them.”– NVIDIA to CNBC

• Sources:
  • CNBC: NVIDIA inventory falls after U.S. authorities restricts chip gross sales to China
  • The New York Occasions: U.S. Restricts Gross sales of Refined Chips to China and Russia
  • Reuters: U.S. officers order NVIDIA to halt gross sales of prime AI chips to China
  • CNN: US orders NVIDIA and AMD to cease promoting AI chips to China 
  • Related Press: China calls for US drop tech export curbs after NVIDIA warning

October 2022

October 7: The Division of Commerce’s Bureau of Business and Safety (BIS) applied a sequence of export controls to “shield US nationwide safety and international coverage pursuits.” The brand new export controls would hinder China’s capacity to construct high-end semiconductors and buy superior chips from the US, together with for growth of and sustaining supercomputers. 

In a briefing with reporters, the US authorities stated the brand new rules formalized the steering beforehand despatched to NVIDIA. The Guardian reported: 

“The brand new rules will even severely limit export of US gear to Chinese language reminiscence chip makers and formalize letters despatched to NVIDIA Corp and Superior Micro Units Inc (AMD) proscribing shipments to China of chips utilized in supercomputing programs that nations world wide depend on to develop nuclear weapons and different army applied sciences.”

• Sources: 
  • The Guardian: Biden administration imposes sweeping tech restrictions on China
  • The New York Occasions: Biden Administration Clamps Down on China’s Entry to Chip Expertise

November 2022 

November 7: Reuters reported that NVIDIA had created a brand new AI chip known as the A800 GPU for the China market. The A800 can be compliant with US export controls.

• “The NVIDIA A800 GPU, which went into manufacturing in Q3, is one other different product to the NVIDIA A100 GPU for purchasers in China. The A800 meets the US authorities’s clear take a look at for decreased export management and can’t be programmed to exceed it.” – NVIDIA to Reuters

• Sources:
  • Reuters: Unique: NVIDIA presents new superior chip for China that meets U.S. export controls
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: NVIDIA Creates New Supercomputer Chip For Chinese language Market
  • The Verge: NVIDIA’s promoting a nerfed GPU in China to get round export restrictions
  • TechCrunch: NVIDIA touts a slower chip for China to keep away from US ban

2023 GPU Export Controls

March 2023

March 21: Reuters reported that NVIDIA had modified the H100 to be compliant with export guidelines to China.

• “On Tuesday, the corporate stated it has equally developed a China-export model of its H100 chip. The brand new chip, known as the H800, is being utilized by the cloud computing models of Chinese language know-how corporations similar to Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, Baidu Inc and Tencent Holdings Ltd, an organization spokesperson stated.” […]

“The NVIDIA spokesperson declined to say how the China-focused H800 differs from the H100, besides that ‘our 800 sequence merchandise are absolutely compliant with export management rules.’” 

• Sources: 
  • Reuters: NVIDIA tweaks flagship H100 chip for export to China as H800
  • Information Middle Dynamics: NVIDIA creates pared again H100 GPU for export to China, known as H800

June 2023

June 27: The Wall Road Journal reported that the US authorities is contemplating increasing export controls for GPUs and AI chips to China. The US Division of Commerce didn’t remark to the Wall Road Journal. 

• Sources:
  • The Wall Road Journal: U.S. Considers New Curbs on AI Chip Exports to China
  • MarketWatch: White Home says it’s centered on being at entrance finish of provide chain for chips, received’t touch upon report of potential new ban on exporting AI chips to China
  • Reuters: US mulls new export restriction on computing energy in AI chips
  • TechCrunch: China’s AI corporations would possibly additional lose chip entry in new US ban

October 2023

October 17: The US Division of Commerce up to date its export compliance for superior semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing gear. The federal government stated: 

“At the moment’s guidelines reinforce the October 7, 2022, controls to limit the PRC’s capacity to each buy and manufacture sure high-end chips crucial for army benefit. These updates are needed to keep up the effectiveness of those controls, shut loopholes, and guarantee they continue to be sturdy.” 

The U.S. authorities has eliminated interconnect pace as a criterion for figuring out restricted chips. As an alternative, it can now give attention to processor efficiency and efficiency density. In an announcement, the federal government stated:

“A efficiency density parameter prevents the workaround of merely buying a bigger variety of smaller datacenter AI chips which, if mixed, can be equally highly effective as restricted chips.”

As a part of the announcement, the administration informed reporters the brand new restrictions have an effect on NVIDIA’s A800 and H800 chips. A number of days prior, Reuters reported that the administration would quickly announce new export guidelines. 

• Sources:
  • Reuters: Unique: US tackles loopholes in curbs on AI chip exports to China
  • CNBC: U.S. curbs export of extra AI chips, together with NVIDIA H800, to China
  • Reuters: NVIDIA particulars superior AI chips blocked by new export controls
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: US Prohibits Exports of NVIDIA’s A800 and H800 to China, Blacklists Chinese language GPU Builders
  • The Verge: NVIDIA’s H800 AI chip for China is blocked by new export guidelines

October 23: NVIDIA filed a Type 8-Ok with the SEC that stated the brand new export guidelines affect its A100, A800, H100, H800 and L40S chips. NVIDIA stated it “doesn’t anticipate that the accelerated timing of the licensing necessities could have a near-term significant

affect on its monetary outcomes.” 

December 2023

December 6: In a gathering with reporters in Singapore, NVIDIA stated that it was engaged on new chips that adjust to the federal government’s guidelines. 

• “NVIDIA has been working very intently with the U.S. authorities to create merchandise that adjust to its rules. Our plan now could be to proceed to work with the federal government to provide you with a brand new set of merchandise that adjust to the brand new rules which have sure limits.” – NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, as reported in Reuters

• Sources:
• Reuters: NVIDIA working intently with US to make sure new chips for China are compliant with curbs

December 28: NVIDIA launched a brand new model of RTX 4090 for the China market. The brand new chip, known as the GeForce RTX 4090D, can be compliant with US export management restrictions. 

• “The GeForce RTX 4090 D has been designed to completely adjust to U.S. authorities export controls. Whereas creating this product, we extensively engaged with the U.S. authorities.” – NVIDIA to Reuters

• “In 4K gaming with ray tracing and deep-learning tremendous sampling (DLSS), the GeForce RTX 4090D is about 5 p.c slower than the GeForce RTX 4090 and it operates like each different GeForce GPU, which will be overclocked by finish customers.” – NVIDIA to The Register

• Sources: 
  • Reuters: NVIDIA launches new gaming chip for China to adjust to US export controls
  • The Register: NVIDIA slowed RTX 4090 GPU by 11 p.c, to make it one hundred pc authorized for export to China
  • The Verge: NVIDIA is releasing a slower RTX 4090 in China to adjust to US restrictions

2024 GPU Export Controls

February 2024

February 1: Reuters reported that NVIDIA had ready new GPUs for China, together with the H20. A number of sources informed Reuters that the brand new choices are much less highly effective than comparable chips from Huawei. 

• Sources:
  • Reuters: Unique: NVIDIA’s new China-focused AI chip set to be bought at comparable value to Huawei product
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: New NVIDIA AI GPUs designed to get round U.S. export bans come to China — H20, L20, and L2 to fill void left by restricted fashions

July 2024

July 22: Reuters reported that NVIDIA is creating a brand new GPU for the China market primarily based on its Blackwell chips. Sources informed Reuters that the chip can be a model of the Blackwell B200. NVIDIA didn’t publicly disclose the specs. 

• Sources:
  • Reuters: Unique: NVIDIA making ready model of latest flagship AI chip for Chinese language market
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: NVIDIA making ready a China-focused variant of its B200 Blackwell AI GPU to adjust to US export rules
  • HPCWire: NVIDIA Prepares New AI Chip for China Amid Ongoing US Export Controls

December 2024

December 2: The US authorities expanded guidelines that restrict the export of excessive reminiscence bandwidth (HBM) and superior semiconductor gear. 

The Middle for Strategic & Worldwide Research defined the brand new guidelines on HBM: 

“The December 2024 controls change that by adopting for the primary time country-wide restrictions on the export of superior HBM to China in addition to an end-use and end-user controls on the sale of even much less superior variations of HBM. The purpose of those controls is, unsurprisingly, to degrade China’s AI trade.” […]

“Fashionable AI chips not solely require a whole lot of reminiscence capability but additionally a unprecedented quantity of reminiscence bandwidth. Bandwidth refers back to the quantity of knowledge a pc’s reminiscence can switch to the processor (or different parts) in a given period of time. With low-bandwidth reminiscence, the processing energy of the AI chip typically sits round doing nothing whereas it waits for the mandatory knowledge to be retrieved from (or saved in) reminiscence and delivered to the processor’s computing sources.”

2025 GPU Export Controls

January 2025

January 13: The US authorities tightened its export controls by introducing nationwide chip caps for a lot of nations, apart from 18 allies. The brand new restrictions can be known as the AI Diffusion Rule. The rule would go into impact in Might 2025.  

• “It is not sensible for the Biden White Home to manage on a regular basis datacenter computer systems and know-how that’s already in gaming PCs worldwide, disguised as an anti-China transfer. The intense ‘nation cap’ coverage will have an effect on mainstream computer systems in nations world wide, doing nothing to advertise nationwide safety however relatively pushing the world to different applied sciences. AI is mainstream computing – ubiquitous and important as electrical energy. This last-minute Biden Administration coverage can be a legacy that will probably be criticized by U.S. trade and the worldwide neighborhood. We’d encourage President Biden to not preempt incoming President Trump by enacting a coverage that may solely hurt the U.S. financial system, set America again, and play into the fingers of U.S. adversaries.” – Ned Finkle, Vice President of Authorities Affairs, NVIDIA, to Bloomberg (Twitter hyperlink)

February 2025

February 26: NVIDIA filed its 10-Ok annual report with the SEC. Within the 10-Ok, NVIDIA revealed that Singapore was the second-largest geographical income in 2024, behind the US. Taiwan was third, and China was fourth.

Inside the report, NVIDIA stated: 

“Singapore represented 18% of fiscal 12 months 2025 whole income primarily based upon buyer billing location. Clients use Singapore to centralize invoicing whereas our merchandise are nearly all the time shipped elsewhere. Shipments to Singapore have been lower than 2% of fiscal 12 months 2025 whole income.”

February 27: Hypothesis started about AI GPUs being smuggled from Singapore to China. In late February, authorities in Singapore arrested three individuals for fraud involving servers that will comprise AI GPUs. Singapore’s authorities granted the three individuals bail a number of weeks later.

NVIDIA declined to remark to CNBC. 

• Sources:
  • ChannelNewsAsia: 3 males charged with fraud, instances linked to alleged motion of Nvidia chips
  • CNBC: NVIDIA’s unofficial exports to China face scrutiny after arrest of silicon smugglers in Singapore
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: Singapore police bust main ring smuggling NVIDIA GPUs to China-based DeepSeek: Report
  • TechCrunch: Singapore grants bail for NVIDIA chip smugglers in alleged $390M fraud

April 2025

April 9: NPR reported that the US authorities wouldn’t add export controls for the H20 chip after NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang attended a dinner at Mar-A-Lago. The dinner reportedly price $1 million per head. The outlet stated it was unclear whether or not Jensen Huang met with US President Trump instantly. 

NVIDIA declined to remark to NPR.

• Sources:
  • NPR: Trump administration backs off NVIDIA H20 chip crackdown after Mar-a-Lago dinner

April 15: In a SEC submitting, NVIDIA stated the US authorities despatched the corporate new export guidelines on April 9. In line with NVIDIA, the H20 and all chips with the H20’s reminiscence bandwidth or interconnect bandwidth will now want licenses to export to China. NVIDIA stated the brand new guidelines would price the corporate $5.5 billion in fees on account of present H20 chip stock and prior gross sales. NVIDIA declined to remark additional to the BBC. 

• Sources: 
  • NVIDIA Type 8-Ok
  • BBC: NVIDIA shares plunge amid $5.5bn hit over export guidelines to China
  • NPR: NVIDIA discloses that U.S. will restrict gross sales of superior chips to China in any case
  • Reuters: US points export licensing necessities for NVIDIA, AMD chips to China

April 16: The US authorities launched an investigative report on DeepSeek and requested data from NVIDIA about its AI GPUs. By a letter despatched to NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, the US authorities requested NVIDIA for an inventory of its clients in China and plenty of nations in Asia, together with Singapore. The federal government requested all communication between NVIDIA and DeepSeek. 

The US Division of Commerce confirmed that it has issued new export management guidelines for AI chips. The Commerce Division supplied an announcement to The Wall Road Journal: 

“The Commerce Division is issuing new export licensing necessities on the NVIDIA H20, AMD MI308, and their equivalents.”

April 28: The Wall Road Journal reported that Huawei is anticipated to launch its new AI chip, the Ascend 910D, quickly. In line with the Wall Road Journal’s sources, Huawei expects the Ascend 910D to be about as highly effective as an NVIDIA H100. 

• Sources:
  • The Wall Road Journal: China’s Huawei Develops New AI Chip, In search of to Match NVIDIA 
  • NetworkWorld: Huawei steps up AI chip race with Ascend 910D, concentrating on NVIDIA’s excessive floor

April 30: Anthropic, an AI startup backed by Amazon, known as on the US authorities to extend export management restrictions to China. As a part of a weblog submit, Anthropic stated the federal government wants to enhance its export enforcement to cut back smuggling. The corporate cited examples of chips being smuggled with “prosthetic child bumps” and “reside lobsters.”

In a response, NVIDIA stated: 

“American corporations ought to give attention to innovation and rise to the problem, relatively than inform tall tales that enormous, heavy, and delicate electronics are in some way smuggled in ‘child bumps’ or ‘alongside reside lobsters.’” – NVIDIA to CNBC

Might 2025

Might 1: Jensen Huang spoke with the Home International Affairs Committee to debate home manufacturing and the significance of AI. NVIDIA posted the remarks on-line.

Might 7: Following a report in Bloomberg, the US Division of Commerce confirmed that it’s going to not implement the AI Diffusion Rule that was created throughout the prior administration. The rule would have gone into impact on Might 15, 2025. 

The Division of Commerce launched an announcement to CNBC: 

“The Biden AI rule is overly complicated, overly bureaucratic, and would stymie American innovation. We will probably be changing it with a a lot easier rule that unleashes American innovation and ensures American AI dominance.” 

NVIDIA launched a assertion: 

“We welcome the Administration’s management and new course on AI coverage. With the AI Diffusion Rule revoked, America could have a once-in-a-generation alternative to steer the subsequent industrial revolution and create high-paying U.S. jobs, construct new U.S.-supplied infrastructure, and alleviate the commerce deficit.”

• Sources: 
  • Bloomberg: Trump to Rescind World Chip Curbs, Prep New AI Restrictions
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: NVIDIA celebrates dumping of Biden-era AI chip export guidelines — easier new coverage promised
  • CNBC: Trump administration set to finish Biden’s U.S. chip export restrictions
  • NVIDIA Twitter Account

Might 9: Reuters reported that NVIDIA is making ready a lower down model of the H20 for the Chinese language market. Reuters sources stated the chip can be prepared in July. NVIDIA declined to remark. 

• Sources: 
  • Reuters: Unique: NVIDIA modifies H20 chip for China to beat US export controls, sources say
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: NVIDIA readies cut-down HGX H20 GPU for China to adjust to export management guidelines

Might 13: The US authorities formally rescinded the earlier administration’s AI Diffusion Rule, which was introduced in January 2025. The federal government additionally introduced actions to strengthen export controls for AI chips, together with restrictions on utilizing a number of Huawei Ascend chips

NVIDIA declined to remark to CNBC on the brand new export restrictions. 

Might 15: A bipartisan group of legislators launched the Chip Safety Act that’s meant to cease smuggling of high-end AI chips. 

The Hill summarized the proposed laws: “The laws, titled the Chips Safety Act, would require firms to make sure the location-verification talents of their high-end AI chips and to report when a product has been diverted or modified location. It follows latest stories of elevated smuggling of chips, together with these made by NVIDIA, into China regardless of tight export controls.”

NVIDIA declined to remark to The Register.

• Sources: 
  • Chip Safety Act textual content
  • The Hill: Bipartisan Home lawmakers suggest invoice to ‘cease smuggling’ of AI chips
  • Reuters: U.S. lawmakers introduce invoice to deal with AI chip smuggling
  • The Register: Plan to maintain superior chips from China with monitoring tech features help in Congress

Might 16: The Monetary Occasions reported that NVIDIA intends to create a analysis and design heart in Shanghai. 

• “We aren’t sending any GPU designs to China to be modified to adjust to export controls.” – NVIDIA to CNBC 

• Sources: 
  • Monetary Occasions: NVIDIA plans Shanghai analysis centre in new dedication to China
  • CNBC: NVIDIA says it’s not sending GPU designs to China after stories of latest Shanghai operation

Might 19: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang informed Bloomberg in a TV interview that he didn’t see any “proof” of any AI chip diversion. Tom’s {Hardware} summarized Jensen Huang’s quote: 

“Governments perceive that diversion will not be allowed, and there’s no proof of any AI chip diversion — acknowledge our knowledge heart GPUs are large; these are large programs. The Grace Blackwell system is sort of two tons, and so that you’re not going to be transport — you’re not going to be placing that in your pocket or your backpack anytime quickly. And so, these programs are pretty straightforward to maintain observe of… however the vital factor is that the nations and the businesses that we promote to acknowledge that diversion will not be allowed, and everyone want to proceed to purchase NVIDIA know-how, and they also very nicely monitor themselves very fastidiously they usually’re fairly cautious about that.”

• Sources:
  • Bloomberg: NVIDIA CEO Says ‘No Proof of Any AI Chip Diversion’
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang says ‘There’s no proof of any AI chip diversion’

Might 21: At Computex 2025, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang known as the US export controls a “failure.” He stated that NVIDIA’s market share in China has dropped from 95% to 50% because of the restrictions. The Guardian quoted Jensen Huang as saying: 

“The native firms are very, very gifted and really decided, and the export management gave them the spirit, the vitality and the federal government help to speed up their growth.” […]

“I believe, all in all, the export management was a failure.” […]

“China has a vibrant know-how ecosystem, and it’s crucial to grasp that China has 50% of the world’s AI researchers, and China is extremely good at software program.”

• Sources: 
  • CNBC: Jensen Huang says U.S. chip restrictions have lower NVIDIA’s China market share almost in half
  • The Guardian: US chip export controls are a ‘failure’ as a result of they spur Chinese language growth, NVIDIA boss says
  • The New York Occasions: NVIDIA’s Chief Says U.S. Chip Controls on China Have Backfired

Might 27: Reuters reported that NVIDIA plans to launch a brand new, cheaper Blackwell-based GPU for the China market to adjust to US export guidelines. 

• “Till we decide on a brand new product design and obtain approval from the U.S. authorities, we’re successfully foreclosed from China’s $50 billion knowledge heart market.” – NVIDIA to Reuters

• Sources: 
  • Reuters: Unique: NVIDIA to launch cheaper Blackwell AI chip for China after US export curbs, sources say
  • SiliconANGLE: Report: NVIDIA racing to develop new, scaled-down Blackwell GPUs for China

Might 28: Throughout NVIDIA’s quarterly earnings, CEO Jensen Huang stated the corporate was writing off unsold H20 stock on account of export controls. VentureBeat posted Jensen Huang’s quote from earnings: 

“Let me share my perspective on some matters we’re continuously requested on export management. China is among the world’s largest AI markets and a springboard to world success with half of the world’s AI researchers primarily based there. The platform that wins China is positioned to steer globally as we speak. Nevertheless, the $50 billion China market is successfully closed to U.S. trade. The H20 export ban ended our Hopper knowledge heart enterprise in China. We can not produce Hopper additional to conform. Consequently, we’re taking a multibillion-dollar write-off on stock that can’t be bought or repurposed. We’re exploring restricted methods to compete, however hopper is now not an possibility.”

• Sources:
  • VentureBeat: NVIDIA CEO takes a shot at U.S. coverage chopping off AI chip gross sales to China
  • PC Gamer: NVIDIA’s Hopper GPUs at the moment are useless to the Chinese language market after export controls that made the corporate take a ‘multibillion-dollar write-off’

June 2025

June 12: NVIDIA’s CEO Jensen Huang informed CNN the corporate will now not embrace gross sales and income from China in its forecasts. In a response to a query from CNN about whether or not the US authorities would raise its export controls, Jensen Huang stated: 

“I’m not relying on it however, if it occurs, then will probably be a terrific bonus. I’ve informed all of our buyers and shareholders that, going ahead, our forecasts is not going to embrace the China market.” 

• Sources:
  • CNN: NVIDIA will cease together with China in its forecasts amid US chip export controls, CEO says

June 18: A number of media reported on rumors about NVIDIA making ready to launch a “RTX 5090 DD” for the China market. The brand new card would allegedly cut back the reminiscence specs in comparison with the RTX 5090D. 

• Sources: 
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: NVIDIA planning new RTX 5090 ‘DD’ variant for China — 24GB card with tweaked GPU newest try to adjust to strict export restrictions
  • WCCFTech: NVIDIA Preps GeForce RTX 5090 DD For China As Export-Compliant Mannequin, Reportedly Options Blackwell GB202-240 GPU

June 23: Reuters reported that DeepSeek is supporting China’s army and intelligence operations, primarily based on an interview with a senior US State Division official. The official stated DeepSeek was utilizing “shell firms” in Southeast Asia to avoid export restrictions. 

Reuters included feedback from NVIDIA: 

“‘We don’t help events which have violated U.S. export controls or are on the U.S. entity lists,’ an NVIDIA spokesman stated in a ready assertion, including that ‘with the present export controls, we’re successfully out of the China knowledge heart market, which is now served solely by rivals similar to Huawei.’” […]

“‘Our assessment signifies that DeepSeek used lawfully acquired H800 merchandise, not H100,’ an NVIDIA spokesman stated, responding to a Reuters question about DeepSeek’s alleged utilization of H100 chips.” 

DeepSeek didn’t reply to an inquiry from Reuters. 

• Sources:
  • Reuters: Unique: DeepSeek aids China’s army and evaded export controls, US official says
  • Asia Occasions: DeepSeek will get NVIDIA’s high-end GPUs by way of Singapore: US official

June 26: The Data reported that DeepSeek’s subsequent AI mannequin has been delayed on account of a scarcity of NVIDIA AI GPUs in China. 

• Sources:
  • The Data: DeepSeek’s Progress Stalled by U.S. Export Controls
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: AI disruptor DeepSeek’s next-gen mannequin delayed by NVIDIA GPU export restrictions to China — quick provide of AI GPUs hinders growth

July 2025

July 4: Bloomberg reported the US Division of Commerce is making ready a brand new export controls rule that will limit the export of AI chips to Malaysia and Thailand. The rule’s purpose can be to cut back AI chip smuggling to China. Based mostly on its sources, Bloomberg stated the export controls rule had not but been finalized.  

• Sources: 
  • Bloomberg: US Plans AI Chip Curbs on Malaysia, Thailand Over China Considerations

July 10: Bloomberg reported that NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang met with US President Donald Trump on the White Home earlier than touring abroad to China. NVIDIA didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark from Reuters. 

• Sources: 
  • Bloomberg: NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang Meets with Trump Forward of CEO’s China Journey
  • Reuters: NVIDIA CEO Huang to satisfy Trump earlier than China journey, supply says
  • CNBC: Trump hosts Jensen Huang at White Home as NVIDIA tops $4 trillion market cap

July 11: In a public letter, a bipartisan group of US senators requested NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang to keep away from assembly with Chinese language firms in an upcoming China journey that violate US legal guidelines or develop army functions that would undermine nationwide safety. 

Reuters included a response from NVIDIA concerning the senators’ letter: 

“An NVIDIA spokesperson stated, ‘American wins’ when its know-how units ‘the worldwide commonplace,’ and that China has one of many largest our bodies of software program builders on the planet. AI software program ‘ought to run greatest on the U.S. know-how stack, encouraging nations worldwide to decide on America,’ the spokesperson stated.” 

July 14: NVIDIA stated it could quickly resume gross sales of the H20 for purchasers in China. NVIDIA supplied the next replace in a weblog submit: 

“[Jensen] Huang additionally supplied an replace to clients, noting that NVIDIA is submitting functions to promote the NVIDIA H20 GPU once more. The U.S. authorities has assured NVIDIA that licenses will probably be granted, and NVIDIA hopes to begin deliveries quickly.”

The White Home didn’t reply to a request for remark from CNN.

• Sources: 
  • NVIDIA Weblog: NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang Promotes AI in Washington, DC and China
  • CNN: NVIDIA says it can restart gross sales of a key AI chip to China, in a reversal of US restrictions
  • Reuters: Chinese language corporations rush to purchase NVIDIA AI chips as gross sales set to renew
  • Related Press: NVIDIA to renew gross sales of extremely desired AI laptop chips to China

The Malaysian authorities started requiring commerce permits for all high-performance AI chips acquired from the US. In a assertion, the Malaysian authorities stated: 

“The Ministry of Funding, Commerce and Business (MITI) want to announce that, efficient instantly, all exports, tranships and transits of high-performance AI chips of US origin are topic to a Strategic Commerce Allow. These powers are supplied for underneath Part 12 of the Strategic Commerce Act 2010 (STA 2010), a Catch-All Management provision which requires people or firms to inform the related authority no less than 30 days earlier than exporting, transhipping, or bringing in transit any merchandise not expressly listed within the Strategic Objects Listing (SIL), if the person or firm is aware of or have cheap grounds to suspect the merchandise will probably be misused, or used for a restricted exercise.

This initiative serves to shut regulatory gaps whereas Malaysia undertakes additional assessment on the inclusion of high-performance AI chips of US origin into the SIL of the STA 2010. Malaysia stands agency in opposition to any try to avoid export controls or have interaction in illicit commerce actions by any particular person or firm, who will face strict authorized motion if discovered violating the STA 2010 or associated legal guidelines.”

July 15: DigiTimes reported that NVIDIA is making ready a brand new AI GPU for the China market, the RTX 6000D. DigiTimes claimed the cardboard would turn out to be out there within the third quarter of 2025, based on its sources within the provide chain. 

• Sources: 
  • DigiTimes: Unique: Jensen Huang’s third go to to China in 2025; RTX 6000D goals for 2 million shipments
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: NVIDIA reportedly making ready RTX 6000D for Chinese language market to adjust to U.S. export controls — fabricated on TSMC N4, that includes GDDR7 reminiscence able to delivering 1,100 GB/s of bidirectional bandwidth

July 24: The Monetary Occasions reported that greater than $1B price of NVIDIA’s AI chips had been smuggled to China. In response, NVIDIA stated that constructing datacenters with “smuggled merchandise” was a “dropping proposition.” 

• “Making an attempt to cobble collectively datacenters from smuggled merchandise is a dropping proposition, each technically and economically. Datacenters require service and help, which we offer solely to licensed NVIDIA merchandise.” – NVIDIA to CNBC

• Sources:
  • Monetary Occasions: NVIDIA AI chips price $1bn smuggled to China after Trump export controls
  • CNBC: NVIDIA addresses AI chip smuggling, says bootleg knowledge facilities are a ‘dropping proposition’

July 28: The Monetary Occasions reported that the US Commerce Division was not going to make “powerful strikes” to tighten export controls to China. In line with the report, the US authorities would attempt to safe a greater commerce take care of China forward of negotiations in Stockholm.

The Washington Put up reported that a number of congressional members had warned the US administration in opposition to loosening its export controls for AI GPUs. NVIDIA and the US Commerce Division did reply to requests for remark to The Washington Put up.

A number of nationwide safety consultants voiced their concern by sending a letter to the US Commerce Division. 

• Sources: 
  • Monetary Occasions: Donald Trump freezes export controls to safe commerce take care of China
  • The Washington Put up: Trump’s retreat on China chip ban triggers coverage spat
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: Trump freeze on export restrictions to China reportedly in assist of commerce talks — White Home in search of face-to-face with Xi Jinping as dissenters warn H20 reversal is a harmful mis-step

July 29: Reuters reported that NVIDIA had ordered 300,000 extra H20 chips from TSMC on account of robust demand from its clients in China. A number of weeks prior, NVIDIA stated it could resume gross sales of the H20 chip to China.

NVIDIA declined to remark to Reuters.

• Sources: 
  • Reuters: Unique: NVIDIA orders 300,000 H20 chips from TSMC on account of strong China demand, sources say
• Sizzling {Hardware}: TSMC Secures 300,000 H20 AI Chip Order As NVIDIA Boosts Provide To China

July 31: The New York Occasions reported that Chinese language authorities officers requested NVIDIA for details about safety dangers related to its H20 chip. NVIDIA denied having “backdoors” in its chips. 

• “Cybersecurity is critically vital to us. NVIDIA doesn’t have ‘backdoors’ in our chips that will give anybody a distant technique to entry or management them.” – NVIDIA to CNBC

• The New York Occasions: China Summons NVIDIA Over ‘Backdoor Safety’ Dangers of A.I. Chips
• CNBC: NVIDIA denies its China-bound H20 AI chips have ‘backdoors’ after Beijing’s safety considerations
• Reuters: NVIDIA says its chips don’t have any ‘backdoors’ after China flags H20 safety considerations
• Related Press: China summons NVIDIA over ‘backdoor security dangers’ in H20 chips

August 2025

August 4: A authorities official informed Bloomberg the US is exploring including location trackers for AI chips. Bloomberg quoted the official as saying, “There’s dialogue about doubtlessly the kinds of software program or bodily adjustments you possibly can make to the chips themselves to do higher location-tracking.”

• Sources: 
  • Bloomberg: US Explores Location Trackers for AI Chips, Official Says
  • The Register: Uncle Sam floats monitoring tech to maintain AI chips out of China

August 5: In a weblog submit, NVIDIA stated that its GPU merchandise should not have backdoors or kill switches. 

• Sources: 
  • NVIDIA Weblog: No Backdoors. No Kill Switches. No Adware.
  • CNBC: NVIDIA says its AI chips don’t have a ‘kill change’ after Chinese language accusation

The US Division of Justice introduced it had arrested two individuals in California for smuggling high-end GPUs to China that purportedly quantity to “tens of tens of millions of {dollars}’ price of delicate microchips utilized in synthetic intelligence (AI) functions.” The BBC reported that court docket paperwork say the shipments included the NVIDIA H100 and RTX 4090. 

• “This case demonstrates that smuggling is a nonstarter. We primarily promote our merchandise to well-known companions, together with OEMs, who assist us be sure that all gross sales adjust to U.S. export management guidelines. Even comparatively small exporters and shipments are topic to thorough assessment and scrutiny, and any diverted merchandise would don’t have any service, help, or updates.” – NVIDIA to TechCrunch

• Sources: 
  • Division of Justice launch
  • Bloomberg: US Costs Chinese language Nationals With NVIDIA Chips Export Breach
  • Reuters: Two Chinese language nationals in California accused of illegally transport NVIDIA AI chips to China
  • New York Put up: Chinese language nationals residing in US charged with smuggling tens of millions price of NVIDIA’s highly effective AI chips to Beijing
  • TechCrunch: Two arrested for smuggling AI chips to China; NVIDIA says no to kill switches
  • BBC: Chinese language nationals charged with exporting NVIDIA AI chips to China

August 10: The Monetary Occasions reported that NVIDIA would give the US authorities 15% of its income from H20 chip gross sales from clients in China. The deal is reportedly a part of an settlement that will enable NVIDIA to amass export licenses from the Commerce Division to be able to promote the H20 chip in China. AMD can be topic to the identical guidelines for the MI308. 

• “We observe guidelines the U.S. authorities units for our participation in worldwide markets. Whereas we haven’t shipped H20 to China for months, we hope export management guidelines will let America compete in China and worldwide. America can not repeat 5G and lose telecommunication management. America’s AI tech stack will be the world’s commonplace if we race.” – NVIDIA to the Related Press

• Sources:
  • Monetary Occasions: NVIDIA and AMD to pay 15% of China chip sale revenues to US authorities
  • The Related Press: NVIDIA and AMD to pay 15% of China chip sale income to US authorities in an uncommon settlement
  • The New York Occasions: U.S. Authorities to Take Minimize of NVIDIA and AMD A.I. Chip Gross sales to China
  • BBC: NVIDIA and AMD to pay 15% of China chip gross sales to US

August 11: In line with a report in Bloomberg, US President Trump stated he was open to permitting NVIDIA to promote a modified Blackwell chip for the China market. The US President additionally stated that he has negotiated with NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang concerning the deal to permit H20 gross sales in China. 

• Sources:
  • Bloomberg: Trump Open to NVIDIA Promoting Scaled-Again Blackwell Chip to China
  • The Register: Trump seeing inexperienced as he weighs deal to permit NVIDIA Blackwell GPU gross sales to China
  • NPR: Trump says NVIDIA will hand the U.S. 15% of its H20 chip gross sales to China
  • Reuters: Trump opens door to gross sales of model of NVIDIA’s next-gen AI chips in China

August 12: Bloomberg reported that Chinese language officers had “urged native firms” to keep away from buying and utilizing NVIDIA’s H20 chip, particularly for nationwide safety and authorities work. In line with Bloomberg, China questioned firms whether or not they had discovered safety issues with NVIDIA’s chips.  

Bloomberg included commentary from NVIDIA: 

“AMD declined to remark, whereas NVIDIA stated in an announcement that ‘the H20 will not be a army product or for presidency infrastructure.’ China has ample provides of home chips, NVIDIA stated, and ‘received’t and by no means has relied on American chips for presidency operations.’

• Sources:
  • Bloomberg: China Urges Corporations To not Use NVIDIA H20 Chips In New Steerage
  • Reuters: China cautions tech corporations over NVIDIA H20 AI chip purchases, sources say

CNBC reported that the Trump Administration was nonetheless engaged on the main points for the right way to implement the 15% export tax on NVIDIA and AMD for promoting sure chips to China. 

• “We observe guidelines the U.S. authorities units for our participation in worldwide markets.” – NVIDIA to CNBC

• Sources:
  • CNBC: White Home says it’s figuring out legality of NVIDIA and AMD China chip offers
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: White Home confirms it is nonetheless determining the legality of the revenue-sharing NVIDIA and AMD deal for China GPU gross sales — ‘The legality of it, the mechanics of it, continues to be being ironed out’

August 13: Reuters reported that US officers have covertly positioned “location-tracking gadgets” in focused shipments with superior chips in an effort to catch chip smuggling to China. Unnamed sources informed Reuters that the monitoring gadgets had been positioned in shipments of OEM servers, together with from Dell and Supermicro. 

NVIDIA declined to remark to Reuters. 

• Sources: 
  • Reuters: Unique: US embeds trackers in AI chip shipments to catch diversions to China, sources say
  • Tom’s {Hardware}: U.S. authorities allegedly positioned secret monitoring gadgets in AI chip shipments to China — report claims focused shipments from Dell and Tremendous Micro containing NVIDIA and AMD chips had trackers in packaging and servers themselves

TweakTown: US authorities secretly place location monitoring gadgets in focused AI chip shipments to China