NVIDIA now wants full payment upfront from Chinese buyers

Business Jan 10, 2026

NVIDIA just switched things up for its Chinese customers—they'll now have to pay the entire amount upfront for H200 AI chips, with no refunds or order changes allowed.
This move comes as US-China tensions heat up, especially around tech and chip exports.

Why the sudden change?

By asking for full payment before shipping, NVIDIA is shifting the risk of political and regulatory delays onto buyers.
The company's protecting itself after past policy shakeups cost it billions.
Even with these hurdles, demand in China is still strong—over two million H200 chips are already on order.