Nvidia’s RTX Pro 5500 may slip past US export curbs as Beijing signals approval
- Some industry executives reportedly expect Nvidia’s RTX Pro 5500 to fall outside US export restrictions.
- China’s industry ministry told some firms it plans to approve purchases of the chip.
- ByteDance and Alibaba were asked to report how many RTX Pro 5500 chips they plan to buy.
Washington’s export restrictions may not block Nvidia’s newest workstation chip from getting to Chinese customers, and Beijing looks prepared to open the door.
Two people familiar with the matter said some industry executives believe the RTX Pro 5500 falls outside US export restrictions.
Beijing’s Industry Ministry sought purchase numbers from ByteDance, Alibaba and other companies. Some were then told the government plans to sign off, a source told The Information.
Chipmaker calls Washington’s controls outdated as 84GB card awaits launch
The report has not been independently verified.
“US firms continue to be restricted by a combination of outdated US export controls, which cover gaming products released nearly a half a decade ago, and China’s own limits on US imports,” an Nvidia spokesperson said.
Nvidia’s product page for the RTX Pro 5500 lists it as a Blackwell workstation card with 84GB of GDDR7, designated for rack-mounted configurations. Buyers can still only register for availability alerts.
Seven Chinese firms hold H200 licenses, but no chips arrived by May
Beijing went the other way a year ago. China’s Cyberspace Administration told the country’s major tech companies to stop testing and cancel orders for Nvidia’s RTX Pro 6000D, Cryptopolitan reported in September 2025.
Nvidia’s H200 is an example of how far a signal can sit from a sale. Cryptopolitan reported that in January, Beijing told Alibaba, Tencent and ByteDance to prepare H200 orders, with buying plans that had to include some domestic chips.
Washington has granted seven Chinese firms, including Alibaba, Tencent, ByteDance and JD.com, licenses to buy up to 75,000 H200 chips each. As of May, none had yet been delivered, Cryptopolitan reported.
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FAQs
What is Nvidia's RTX Pro 5500?
A Blackwell workstation card with 84GB of GDDR7 memory, built for rack-mounted setups.
Has China officially approved the purchases?
No. The industry ministry has only told some firms it plans to approve the purchases, and the report remains unconfirmed.
What happened with the earlier Nvidia H200 approvals?
Washington licensed seven Chinese firms to buy up to 75,000 H200 chips each, but none had been delivered as of May.
Disclaimer. The information provided is not trading advice. Cryptopolitan.com holds no liability for any investments made based on the information provided on this page. We strongly recommend independent research and/or consultation with a qualified professional before making any investment decisions.
Randa Moses
Randa Moses is an editor and reporter at Cryptopolitan covering tech, AI, robotics, crypto, scams, and hacks. She has worked in the crypto space since 2017. She held roles at Forward Protocol, AmaZix, and Cryptosomniac. Randa holds a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Bradford.
