DeepSeek Used Banned Nvidia Blackwell Chips
Analysis based on 6 articles · First reported Feb 24, 2026 · Last updated Feb 24, 2026
The alleged violation of US export controls by DeepSeek using Nvidia's Blackwell chips could lead to increased scrutiny and potential sanctions on DeepSeek, negatively impacting its market standing. For Nvidia, this event could complicate its strategy in the Chinese market, potentially leading to stricter export regulations and affecting its sales of advanced AI chips like the H200, which could impact its stock price.
Chinese AI startup DeepSeek allegedly trained its latest artificial intelligence model using Nvidia's most advanced chip, Blackwell, despite strict American export controls prohibiting such shipments to China. This development, confirmed by a senior Trump administration official, represents a potential violation of US export controls and is likely to deepen divisions within Washington over how aggressively to restrict China's access to cutting-edge AI hardware. The US government believes the Blackwell chips are concentrated at DeepSeek's data center in Mongolia. The incident highlights challenges in enforcing export controls and fuels debate among US policymakers, with some arguing for stricter measures to prevent diversion for military use, while others, including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and White House AI Czar David Sacks, suggest that allowing some sales could temper the rise of domestic Chinese rivals like Huawei. The Chinese embassy in Washington has criticized the 'overstretching' of national security concepts and the politicization of trade and technology issues. This event could influence future decisions regarding the sale of Nvidia's H200 chips to Chinese firms.
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