Overview
- The Commerce Department shifted H200-class exports to case‑by‑case licensing with conditions including third‑party testing, a cap limiting China to no more than 50% of U.S. customer volumes, proof of sufficient U.S. supply, and prohibitions on military use.
- Reuters reports Chinese customs told agents Nvidia’s H200 chips are not permitted to enter China, and officials instructed tech firms to purchase only in special circumstances such as university R&D.
- Authorities have not clarified whether the restrictions cover existing orders, with sources describing the guidance as effectively a temporary ban that could change.
- Chinese companies have reportedly ordered more than 2 million H200 chips, far exceeding Nvidia’s inventory of about 700,000, and the company had aimed to ship a limited batch before the Lunar New Year.
- President Trump previously announced a 25% fee on such sales, but the finalized licensing rule does not reference that fee, and reports of upfront payment demands from Nvidia are disputed by the company.