- Chinese regulators have granted in-principle approval for major tech firms like Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance to move to the next stage of preparing H200 purchases.
- This guidance runs counter to recent reports suggesting the Chinese government was blocking H200 shipments, marking a potential reversal in policy.
- The companies are now cleared to discuss specifics, such as the required quantities, with Nvidia.
- Formal approval for H200 imports is expected as soon as this quarter, though the chips will likely be barred from sensitive agencies and critical infrastructure.
- The approval is expected to come with conditions, potentially requiring Chinese tech firms to also purchase domestically produced AI chips.
China signals approval for tech giants to order Nvidia H200 AI chips
Jan 23, 2026, 2:33:21 PM UTC(11 days ago)
Impact: High
Affected Assets
Sources
From:@DeItaone
$NVDA - CHINA CLEARS TECH GIANTS TO PREP NVIDIA H200 ORDERS
China has told major tech firms, including Alibaba, Tencent, and ByteDance, they can prepare orders for Nvidia’s H200 AI chips, signaling imminent approval of imports critical for AI development. Companies may now discuss quantities, though approvals will likely require some purchases of domestic chips.
The move boosted Nvidia shares by up to 2.3% premarket. It marks a potential win for Nvidia as China prioritizes AI infrastructure, despite recent reports suggesting shipments were being blocked.
