China is reportedly preparing to allow local companies to purchase Nvidia’s H200 AI chips for select commercial uses, potentially as soon as this quarter, according to Bloomberg. The move would reopen a major market for the chipmaker and revive what analysts see as a roughly $54 billion opportunity tied to the world’s second-largest economy. Shares of Nvidia $NVDA ( ▼ 2.15% ) were slightly higher in premarket trading following the report.
The H200 is Nvidia’s top-performing chip from its Hopper generation, which sits one step behind Blackwell and the newly announced Vera Rubin platform. Even so, it remains a major upgrade over what China has had access to so far.
Why the H200 still matters
While Nvidia is already moving on to newer architectures, the H200 is still roughly six times more powerful than the H20 chips that were previously the most advanced processors the company was allowed to sell into China. Those H20s were heavily restricted versions designed to comply with US export controls.
Earlier this week, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang confirmed that Vera Rubin chips are already in full production, underscoring how quickly the company’s roadmap is advancing. But for Chinese buyers who have been locked out of Nvidia’s cutting-edge hardware, access to H200s would represent a meaningful leap in AI compute capability.
Orders, pricing, and tighter terms
Reuters has previously reported that Nvidia has already received more than 2 million H200 orders for delivery in 2026, with pricing around $27,000 per chip. Initial shipments are expected to arrive before the Lunar New Year holiday on February 17.
At the same time, Nvidia is reportedly demanding stricter terms from Chinese customers. Bloomberg says buyers are being required to pay in full up front, with no option to modify or cancel orders, reflecting concerns that Beijing’s stance on approving shipments could shift again.
If approvals move forward as expected, H200 sales would mark a significant reopening of Nvidia’s China business, even as the company races ahead with newer generations elsewhere.