BEIJING, — May 20, 2026 : Chinese customs authorities have halted the import and domestic clearance of Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090D V2 graphics processing unit (GPU), effectively blocking sales of the China-specific gaming chip across the country, according to reports from Chinese technology industry sources and motherboard manufacturers.
The restriction reportedly took effect on May 15 and coincided with the state visit to Beijing by U.S. President Donald Trump. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was also present in China during the visit after reportedly joining the U.S. delegation at the last minute during a stop in Alaska. Huang traveled alongside several American technology executives participating in trade and diplomatic discussions.
The development came as the U.S. Department of Commerce reportedly authorized approximately 10 major Chinese companies to purchase Nvidia H200 artificial intelligence processors under a controlled licensing framework. The approvals were viewed as part of a limited export mechanism allowing select Chinese firms to access restricted AI hardware under strict regulatory conditions.
At the same time, Beijing moved to block Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5090D V2, a consumer-oriented Blackwell-based GPU specifically engineered for the Chinese market to comply with U.S. export regulations.
The RTX 5090D V2 was developed by Nvidia as a downgraded version of the standard RTX 5090. The China-specific model featured 24GB of VRAM instead of 32GB and used a narrower memory bus intended to reduce performance in advanced computing and AI workloads while remaining within U.S. export compliance limits.
Although marketed primarily toward gamers and professional 3D creators, industry reports indicated that Chinese AI developers increasingly adopted the GPU as an alternative to restricted enterprise-grade AI accelerators. Some reports also stated that certain firms modified the cards to increase VRAM capacity to as much as 48GB in an effort to improve AI model training performance and bypass built-in limitations.
According to Chinese supply chain sources and local technology publications, customs officials informed importers, retailers, and motherboard manufacturers that the RTX 5090D V2 would no longer receive processing approvals or sales permits. Logistics companies reportedly received notices stating that import clearance for the product would not be granted.
The move represents a significant policy shift because the restriction was initiated by Beijing rather than Washington. Analysts said the action reflects broader Chinese industrial efforts aimed at reducing reliance on modified American semiconductor products while accelerating the transition toward domestically developed alternatives.
Chinese semiconductor companies including Huawei and Cambricon are expected to benefit as authorities continue encouraging AI developers and technology firms to adopt local hardware ecosystems and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers.
Because the RTX 5090D V2 was manufactured exclusively for China, the customs restriction leaves Nvidia with limited alternative destinations for existing inventory. The development also adds further pressure on Nvidia’s China business following multiple rounds of U.S. export restrictions affecting advanced GPUs and AI accelerators, including earlier limitations involving the RTX 4090D and enterprise Blackwell products.
Nvidia has not issued an official statement regarding the reported customs action as of the latest available information. No formal public decree or comprehensive government blacklist update has been independently confirmed beyond customs notifications referenced by industry sources and Chinese manufacturers.
——— End of Article ———
