U.S. export curbs have barred Nvidia’s top-tier AI chips in China since late last year, restricting official supply channels. Secondary markets have seen black-market prices for these banned GPUs surge by over 100%, highlighting persistent demand and supply shortages.
Late last year, U.S. export controls prohibited shipment of Nvidia’s flagship AI accelerators into China, aiming to curb advanced computing capabilities. The measures specifically targeted high-performance data center GPUs, closing official channels and driving Chinese buyers toward illicit sources.
With legal imports halted, demand for Nvidia’s banned AI chips has pushed black-market prices up by more than 100%. Brokers in China are now offering these GPUs at steep premiums, reflecting severe supply shortages and unfilled enterprise AI requirements.
While strong demand underscores Nvidia’s leadership in AI hardware, blocked sales in China could dampen near-term revenue growth. Chinese data centers and AI startups face higher costs and procurement delays, potentially accelerating development of domestic alternatives or illicit import networks.
Finance
