Chinese buyers are getting Nvidia Blackwell chips despite U.S. export controls

Upholding export controls on semiconductor chips made in the U.S. made chips may be harder than Washington D.C. thinks.

Chinese buyers are getting their hands on computing systems with Nvidia’s Blackwell chips through third-party traders located in other regions, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Buyers in Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam are buying these resources for their own use and reselling a portion to companies in China, the Wall Street Journal added.

Just a week before leaving office, former President Joe Biden introduced sweeping new chip export restrictions that further limited several countries, one of which is China, from being able to import chips made for AI in the U.S. At the time, Nvidia said the restrictions would “derail” global innovation.

Last week, Microsoft reportedly urged President Donald Trump to ease these restrictions, as big tech companies want to tap China’s sprawling AI market. Meanwhile, China recently urged its AI researchers to avoid visiting the U.S.

Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.