U.S. clears ~10 Chinese firms to buy Nvidia H200; $NVDA gains 2% on policy shift

Export Clearance Milestone

The U.S. government approved roughly 10 Chinese companies to purchase Nvidia's H200 AI accelerator chip, Reuters reported on May 14, 2026. The H200 is Nvidia's second-most powerful data-center GPU, sitting one tier below the restricted H100 Hopper flagship. The development marks the first concrete relaxation of AI chip export controls since the Biden administration's sweeping restrictions took effect in late 2022.

$NVDA Stock Reaction

Shares of $NVDA rose approximately 2% on the news. CEO Jensen Huang has lobbied Washington for months, arguing that overly restrictive controls push Chinese customers toward domestic GPU alternatives and erode U.S. competitiveness in AI hardware. The H200 authorization, while limited in scope, validates that lobbying effort as a partial breakthrough.

Scope: Narrow Channel, Not Broad Lift

The H200 is already one level below the chip most sought by Chinese hyperscalers. Clearing roughly 10 firms suggests the administration is opening a narrow channel rather than broadly unwinding export restrictions. The identities of the approved firms were not disclosed publicly as of this report. The more powerful Blackwell-generation chips (B100/B200) remain restricted.

Korean HBM Suppliers Stand to Benefit

Any increase in Nvidia GPU shipments to China directly benefits South Korean HBM (High Bandwidth Memory) suppliers. Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) and SK Hynix (000660.KS) manufacture the memory stacks embedded in H200 and Blackwell systems, making them the primary downstream beneficiaries of expanded Chinese AI chip procurement. Both stocks rallied on May 14 as KOSPI hit a fresh all-time high of 7,981.41.

What to Watch

The next milestones are: whether approved firm count expands beyond the initial 10; whether Blackwell-generation chips are eventually cleared; and whether China responds with increased AI infrastructure investment that drives additional GPU demand. Nvidia's Q2 FY2027 guidance — expected late August 2026 — will be the first earnings readout to potentially reflect any China revenue recovery.