China bans Nvidia AI chips for tech giants, FT says this week

TL;DR:

China’s CAC reportedly banned top firms from buying Nvidia AI chips.
The FT says the order targets the new RTX Pro 6000D.
Reuters confirms Chinese firms were told to halt tests and orders.
Nvidia shares fell after the reports, as coverage noted.
Beijing signals confidence in domestic AI chips from local vendors.

On September 17, 2025, the Financial Times reported that China’s Cyberspace Administration told leading tech firms to stop buying Nvidia’s AI chips and to cancel existing orders. Reuters echoed the report the same day. The directive reportedly targets Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000D, a China-specific part.

Who is affected

The FT and Reuters cited ByteDance and Alibaba among firms told to halt. The guidance signals a stronger stance than earlier pressure around the H20. It also hints at a policy shift toward local accelerators from companies like Huawei and Cambricon.

Market reaction

Investors sold Nvidia shares after the report. Reuters noted a drop of about 2 to 3 percent during trading on September 17. Sentiment turned cautious as the market weighed China’s importance to Nvidia’s long-term data center sales.

Why this move, why now

The FT reports regulators judged that domestic AI chips can meet current needs for many workloads. The order also fits Beijing’s push to cut dependence on U.S. tech. It comes amid a stop-start period in which Chinese buyers tested Nvidia’s China-compliant parts while watching rule changes.

What is the RTX Pro 6000D

Nvidia introduced the RTX Pro 6000D for China in 2025. It was designed to comply with U.S. export limits while offering competitive inference performance. Reuters reported tepid interest from major firms even before the CAC order.

Timeline at a glance

Date	Event
2025-09-16	Reuters reported limited interest in RTX6000D among big firms.
2025-09-17	FT reported the CAC ban on purchases and tests.
2025-09-17	Reuters echoed the ban report and market reaction.

What it means for builders

Short term, Chinese firms will lean harder on domestic accelerators. Software stacks must adapt or expand support beyond CUDA. Model owners may split training across hardware types. Export-control-safe supply chains gain priority.

For Nvidia, the path in China narrows. The company may focus on non-China growth while continuing to propose compliant parts if rules shift.

Quick checklist for AI teams in China

Audit model training plans against local hardware options.
Evaluate frameworks that run on non-CUDA back ends.
Revisit vendor contracts and delivery schedules.
Expand inference benchmarks on domestic chips.
Track guidance from CAC and industry ministries.

What happens next

Watch for official statements or procurement rules that codify the move. Also watch cloud vendors in China for hardware mix changes. If local chips perform well at scale, the shift could stick.

Why it matters

China is a large AI market. A broad stop on Nvidia parts would reshape demand for accelerators, software support, and toolchains. It also adds another turn in U.S.–China tech policy, with ripple effects on global AI supply.

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