A network of companies operating across China and Southeast Asia may have helped restricted NVIDIA AI chips reach Chinese customers, according to a Bloomberg investigation. The report traces some of the hardware to a Shanghai data centre and identifies business connections involving Alice Huang, a former executive at Singapore-based Megaspeed International.
Documents reviewed by Bloomberg reportedly show that chips subject to US export restrictions were installed at the Shanghai facility. Some of the servers were originally sold to Aperia Cloud Services, a Singapore-based NVIDIA cloud partner, according to a person familiar with the transactions.
The findings add another layer to the growing scrutiny surrounding NVIDIA's supply chain and its connections to companies operating in the region.
One company highlighted in the reporting is Shanghai Century Litong, which was established in 2023 to provide AI computing capacity. It secured NVIDIA's Preferred Cloud Partner status just four months after its formation, giving it access to the chipmaker's partner network and priority supply allocation.
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The report also examines Megaspeed and its Malaysian subsidiary, Speedmatrix. Equipment acquired through these businesses was reportedly transferred, in part, to Century Litong. The companies were also linked to arrangements involving NVIDIA-powered computing services for Chinese customers through data centres in Southeast Asia.
Century Litong has disputed allegations surrounding its dealings, saying it obtained NVIDIA partner status through legitimate channels. It has also denied business transactions with Alice Huang.
The developments come as Singaporean authorities investigate Megaspeed and Alice Huang. US investigators are also examining suspected efforts to move NVIDIA-powered servers into China in violation of export restrictions.
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NVIDIA has said it applies the same export-control compliance standards across its transactions. The company is facing questions about how restricted processors reached Chinese facilities despite Washington's controls.
The case highlights the difficulty of monitoring advanced AI chips once they enter complex international supply chains. For US regulators, identifying the final users of the hardware may prove just as important as tracking the original buyers.