GoKawiilNvidia tells cloud partners to cap China-bound GPU rentals at 49%
According to the Financial Times, Nvidia has verbally instructed cloud partners worldwide that at least 51% of their GPU services must go to non-Chinese customers, squeezing a key workaround Chinese AI firms used after export controls. The report says Chinese buyers have already snapped up over 1 million Nvidia gaming and workstation cards and ordered more than 6 million export-compliant RTX Pro 5500 cards this year, while a B300 server rack has reportedly resold in China for $2.8 million versus roughly $600,000 abroad.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The rule, if real and enforced, would close off overseas cloud leasing as an alternative supply route, pushing Chinese labs toward costlier gray-market hardware or domestic chips. Southeast Asian data center operators that depend heavily on Chinese clients could face reduced demand or be forced to find new customers, which the Singapore-based source cited by the FT says is hard outside the US. The move also looks positioned to blunt US lawmaker criticism that Nvidia's chips are reaching China despite export controls, though Nvidia has not confirmed the policy.
- Nvidia reportedly requires cloud partners to send at least 51% of GPU capacity to non-Chinese firms.
- Chinese firms have bought over 1 million gaming/workstation cards and ordered 6 million+ RTX Pro 5500 units, far exceeding projected 2027 manufacturing capacity.
- Southeast Asian data centers reliant on Chinese clients may struggle to replace that demand if the policy holds.
Source: tomshardware.com — Shane Downing, 2026-11-09
Published there as: “Nvidia cracks down on overseas cloud AI GPU rentals for China”
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