U.S. Clears Conditional Nvidia H200 Exports to China

Overview

• The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security moved the H200 to case-by-case license reviews and set conditions including independent unit testing, buyer security attestations, a ban on military use, Nvidia certification of U.S. supply, and a 50% cap on China’s share of U.S.-sold units.
• Nvidia said it is not requiring advance full payment from Chinese customers for H200 orders, countering earlier reports of unusually strict prepayment demands.
• The authorization implements President Donald Trump’s policy announced in December, which included a 25% fee on such sales payable to the U.S. government.
• Reporting indicates Chinese regulators may approve purchases only in special situations such as lab or university research, leaving actual commercial demand and shipments uncertain.
• The decision drew criticism in Washington over potential military benefits for Beijing and raised questions about how rigorously the new safeguards will be enforced.