Nvidia tells data centre partners to cut China exposure

Nvidia has been telling the companies that build cloud infrastructure around its processors to scale back the business they do with Chinese customers, according to a report in the Financial Times. The newspaper said the chipmaker is asking cloud computing providers to sign contracts that require at least 51 percent of their services to go to clients outside China. Under that threshold, a provider could direct no more than 49 percent of its sales to Chinese customers. Those terms apply only to new agreements; existing contracts are not changed.

The Financial Times based its account on five people with knowledge of the matter, the paper reported. When AFP asked Nvidia for comment, the company did not confirm or deny the report. Instead, a statement quoted in the newspaper said: “datacenters and clouds built on American chips are the foundation that American model and application makers need to compete worldwide”. The statement added that longstanding US policy “encourages every cloud to build on American infrastructure and to win business everywhere they can”. The statement did not mention the 51 percent figure or China directly.

WTVB reported on November 3, 2026 that Reuters could not immediately verify the Financial Times account. When asked about the report, Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said she had no knowledge of it. Mao said: “We consistently hope that all parties can provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for companies from all countries, including Chinese companies”.

The reported contract requirement arrives as Washington and Beijing race for artificial intelligence leadership, with each side accusing the other of technology theft and security threats. Nvidia, whose processors power many AI data centres, is the world’s most valuable company.

Yahoo Finance’s headline described the move as an order for data center clients to reduce China exposure. WTVB also reported the Financial Times account.