Overview
- Nvidia now demands full payment in advance for H200 purchases in China with no cancellations, refunds, or configuration changes allowed, though some buyers may use commercial insurance or collateral.
- Chinese regulators have told some tech firms to pause new H200 orders while they decide domestic chip purchase requirements tied to any imports, according to multiple reports.
- Bloomberg reports Beijing could permit some H200 buying as soon as this quarter for commercial use, with restrictions that exclude military, critical government bodies, key infrastructure, and state-owned enterprises.
- Chinese buyers have placed orders exceeding 2 million H200 units versus roughly 700,000 in Nvidia’s inventory, with chips priced near $27,000 each.
- Nvidia plans initial shipments from existing stock before mid-February and has asked TSMC to ramp H200 production starting in Q2 2026, while U.S. export licenses and a 25% revenue charge are still under review.