Nvidia Implements Whitelist System, Cuts Eligible Asian Customers by Over Half to Block AI Chips Reaching China

According to Financial Times, Nvidia has tightened compliance reviews for Asian customers in recent months and established a new whitelist mechanism, reducing the number of authorized buyers by over half in key markets including Singapore, Malaysia, and Japan. The chip giant, valued at $5.1 trillion, aims to prevent its AI processors from reaching China through third-country transshipment.

Nvidia employees now conduct in-person facility visits to customers' data centers to verify contracts and interview end-users, validating business authenticity. The U.S. Department of Commerce participates in oversight and provides policy support. The stricter review process represents a major upgrade to Nvidia's longstanding compliance procedures, expanding both compliance requirements and on-site verification scope.