U.S. Clears Nvidia H200 Chip Sales to Select Chinese Firms

The United States has approved limited exports of Nvidia's H200 artificial intelligence chips to roughly ten Chinese companies, marking a narrow relaxation of controls on advanced semiconductors amid ongoing technology competition with Beijing. The decision allows those firms access to hardware that powers large-scale AI training while maintaining broader restrictions on the most powerful models. Nvidia shares rose on the news as investors saw potential revenue gains from China's vast market. The move comes after months of tightened rules that had blocked similar shipments, reflecting a calibrated approach by U.S. officials who weigh security concerns against the risk of ceding ground to domestic Chinese chip developers. Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang has repeatedly highlighted China as a critical growth area, noting in recent earnings calls that the company continues to seek compliant pathways to serve customers there. Industry analysts estimate the approved sales could generate several hundred million dollars in the near term, though exact figures remain undisclosed. Chinese firms receiving the approvals reportedly include established cloud and research entities already on U.S. entity lists with narrow carve-outs. The policy shift does not extend to the newer Blackwell architecture or unrestricted volumes, leaving open questions about how far future relaxations might reach. Lawmakers in both parties have voiced mixed reactions, with some warning that any AI chip flow strengthens China's capabilities while others argue selective access prevents total market loss to rivals such as Huawei. Export control officials have not detailed the vetting process used to choose the ten recipients, citing national security sensitivities.