Nvidia's H200 AI Chips Await US Approval Amid National Security Review

Nvidia’s sales of its H200 AI chips to China are still pending final approval from Washington, nearly two months after former President Donald Trump authorized the export. The U.S. government is conducting a national security review before granting licenses to Chinese customers. While the U.S. Commerce Department has completed its analysis, the State Department is pushing for tougher restrictions, making it harder for China to use the chips in ways that could threaten U.S. national security.

This stance is frustrating Nvidia, as the company awaits clarity on whether its Chinese customers will secure licenses or what conditions will be attached. As a result, Chinese customers have refrained from placing orders for the H200 chips until the licensing situation is resolved. The approval process has been complicated due to Trump’s decision to approve the licenses first and let his team set the conditions, which has added further complexity to the situation.