Nvidia narrows Asia buyer list amid China chip export crackdown

Nvidia has more than halved the number of Asian customers allowed to buy its AI chips after creating a stricter “white list” and tougher compliance checks in Singapore, Malaysia and Japan, part of a US-led push to close export-control loopholes that funnel chips to China. The vetting now includes on-site data-centre visits and end-user interviews with oversight from the US Department of Commerce, reflecting intensified scrutiny while a broader chip shortage and China sales frictions persist.