A recent investigation by the Financial Times has uncovered that, despite strict U.S. export controls, advanced Nvidia AI chips worth over $1 billion have been illicitly shipped into mainland China over the past three months. The revelation highlights the growing challenges faced by Washington in curbing Beijing’s ambitions in the high-tech sector.
According to dozens of sales agreements, company filings, and sources familiar with the matter, the Nvidia B200 chip—currently restricted for sale in China—has become the most sought-after semiconductor on the Chinese black market. These chips, vital for training AI models used by companies like OpenAI, Google, and Meta, are reportedly easy to obtain through unofficial channels.
One of the major distributors is a company based in Anhui province, established just this February. Sources say it has received at least two shipments since mid-May, each containing hundreds of B200 racks. Industry insiders suggest many of these units originated from Supermicro, a U.S.-based data center hardware provider founded by Taiwanese-American Charles Liang.
However, there is no evidence that Supermicro was aware of or involved in the illegal exports. The company has emphasized its compliance with all U.S. export regulations governing the sale and shipment of GPU systems.
In addition to the B200, other restricted Nvidia chips like the H200, H100, and 5090 have also surfaced on Chinese social platforms such as Douyin and Xiaohongshu. Some product images and videos even feature brands like ASUS and Dell. There is no indication that these companies were aware their server products containing Nvidia chips were being resold in China. Like Supermicro, both are authorized integrators of Nvidia components.
The current black market price for a B200 rack in China is estimated between 3 to 3.5 million yuan ($489,000), down from over 4 million yuan in mid-May, but still roughly 50% higher than U.S. retail pricing.
A Chinese data center operator remarked, “Export controls can’t stop Nvidia’s most advanced chips from entering China. All it does is lower operational efficiency and allow middlemen to profit handsomely.”
Nvidia has consistently maintained it has no evidence of AI chip resales. A spokesperson told the Financial Times, “Attempting to run data centers using smuggled products is not viable from a technical or economic standpoint. We only support certified Nvidia hardware for enterprise-level service and support.”
The findings underscore the difficulty of enforcing tech export bans in an era of globalized supply chains and intense demand for cutting-edge AI technologies.
