China signals it may allow Alibaba and ByteDance to purchase Nvidia RTX Pro 5500 chips

The Chinese government has signaled it may allow domestic companies, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and ByteDance Ltd., to purchase Nvidia Corp.’s new RTX Pro 5500 chips. China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently asked these firms to report their purchase plans, including quantities and intended uses, indicating an intention to approve them. Industry executives expect the high-end graphics chip, released in September 2026, to avoid United States export restrictions.

Nvidia RTX Pro 5500 chips

• ▪Nvidia Corp. released its new RTX Pro 5500 graphics processor chip, designed for high-end professional computers, in September 2026
• ▪The Information reported on September 27, 2026, that China may allow domestic firms to purchase Nvidia Corp.'s RTX Pro 5500 chips, citing two people familiar with the matter

Chinese government purchase approval

• ▪The Chinese government has signaled it may allow domestic companies, including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and ByteDance Ltd., to purchase Nvidia Corp.'s RTX Pro 5500 chips
• ▪China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology informed several domestic firms of the government's intention to approve their purchases of Nvidia Corp.'s RTX Pro 5500 chips

Ministry oversight process

• ▪China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology requested that companies reporting plans to purchase Nvidia Corp.'s RTX Pro 5500 chips specify the quantity they intend to buy and their intended use for the product
• ▪China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology recently requested that companies, including ByteDance Ltd. and Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., report their plans to purchase Nvidia Corp.'s RTX Pro 5500 chips

US semiconductor export controls

• ▪An Nvidia Corp. spokesperson stated on September 27, 2026, that United States firms remain restricted by outdated U.S. export controls covering gaming products released nearly five years prior, alongside China's own limits on U.S. imports
• ▪Some industry executives expect Nvidia Corp.'s RTX Pro 5500 chip to avoid United States export restrictions

Debatable claims

• ▪The US should block Nvidia from exporting RTX Pro 5500 chips to China
• ▪China's vetting of domestic tech firms' chip purchases is justified