NVIDIA's B30 Chip: A Custom AI Solution for China Amid Export Challenges

NVIDIA is developing a custom AI chip, B30, for the Chinese market, based on the Blackwell architecture. The B30 aims to achieve 80% of the performance of the Blackwell GPU. NVIDIA has applied for an export license, but approval is uncertain. Analysts suggest that approving the B30, with slightly better performance than the H20, may be a viable option for balancing economic interests amid US-China tensions.

Title: Nvidia's B30A Chip: A Potential Bridge in US-China Semiconductor Tensions

Nvidia is preparing to launch a new AI chip, the B30A, for the Chinese market, based on its latest Blackwell architecture. The chip is designed to offer 80% of the performance of the full Blackwell GPU, according to reports [1]. This development comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and China over semiconductor exports.

The B30A chip is expected to be more powerful than the current H20, which is Nvidia’s only approved product for China. However, it will still be scaled back compared to the company's flagship B300. The chip will feature a single-die design with high-bandwidth memory and NVLink technology, similar to the H20 [2].

Nvidia aims to ship samples to Chinese clients as early as next month, but regulatory approval remains uncertain. The move follows recent comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested he may allow more advanced Nvidia chips in China. However, bipartisan concerns in Washington over national security have cast doubt on regulatory approval [1].

The development of the B30A chip comes as China accounted for 13% of Nvidia’s revenue last year, but sales there have been volatile. Nvidia resumed H20 shipments in July after a ban earlier this year, only for Chinese regulators to warn firms about using the chip [1]. Meanwhile, Huawei is emerging as a rival with chips approaching Nvidia’s performance in some areas.

Analysts suggest that approving the B30A, with slightly better performance than the H20, may be a viable option for balancing economic interests amid US-China tensions. Nvidia is also preparing a second Blackwell-based China chip, the RTX6000D, focused on AI inference tasks. Designed to stay below U.S. export control thresholds, it will use GDDR memory with bandwidth capped at 1,398 GB/s [1].

Nvidia’s stock has risen 35.6% so far in 2025, reflecting investor optimism about the company’s strategic moves. However, the company faces regulatory hurdles and market uncertainties, particularly in China [3].

References

[1] https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/nvidia-readying-new-blackwell-based-b30-a-chip-for-china-as-us-tensions-flare-report/chsgO5iRdg9
[2] https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/technology/tech-news/nvidia-may-be-developing-new-ai-chip-for-china-how-this-may-be-different-from-existing-h20/articleshow/123391482.cms
[3] https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/gpus/nvidia-reportedly-shows-china-specific-b30-chips-with-80-percent-of-the-performance-of-the-standard-blackwell-gpu-to-the-u-s-government-nvidia-ceo-says-approval-is-still-up-in-the-air