According to The Information, the company has notified major clients in China—including Alibaba, ByteDance (parent of TikTok), and Tencent—that new chip samples could be ready as early as June 2025.

The move is part of NVIDIA's broader strategy to remain a key player in the Chinese market despite growing political and regulatory pressure. In mid-April, CEO Jensen Huang made a surprise trip to Beijing, where he met with executives from top Chinese technology companies. During the meetings, Huang reportedly reaffirmed NVIDIA's commitment to China and introduced plans for new AI chips designed to meet U.S. export rules while still offering competitive performance for AI workloads.

The company is also developing a localized version of its next-generation AI chip series, the Blackwell family. The China-specific model, known as the B20, is being tailored to stay within legal export thresholds but still deliver strong AI capabilities. Shipments of the B20 could begin as soon as Q2 2025.

These developments follow the U.S. government's recent tightening of restrictions on NVIDIA's H20 chip—the only advanced AI model it was still allowed to export to China. The company has warned that the new rules could result in up to $5.5 billion in lost sales. Despite the setback, NVIDIA remains determined to serve the Chinese market, which it calls one of its largest and most profitable globally.

Huang's visit came just days after the U.S. imposed new limits on H20 shipments. During his trip, he sent a clear message: China remains a critical part of NVIDIA's long-term vision, and the company will continue to invest in developing compliant, high-performance AI products for the region.

For over 30 years, NVIDIA has operated in China, growing alongside the country's rapidly evolving tech ecosystem. Huang emphasized that China's vast consumer base, advanced software capabilities, and dynamic industrial environment continue to drive the company's innovation.

While U.S. officials cite national security concerns and the risk of military use as reasons for the export restrictions, NVIDIA now walks a delicate line—complying with U.S. law while striving to meet Chinese demand. The company declined to comment on the report, and Alibaba, ByteDance, Tencent, and the U.S. Commerce Department have yet to respond.