New reports from Chinese hardware industry sources suggest NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 5090 D v2 may have been blocked from entering the Chinese market. According to motherboard manufacturers and logistics partners inside China, customs authorities have allegedly informed companies that import permits for the graphics card will not be approved, effectively preventing official shipments from entering the country. What makes the situation unusual is that the reported restriction appears to originate from China rather than from new US export controls. NVIDIA developed the RTX 5090 D v2 specifically for the Chinese market following earlier restrictions surrounding advanced GPUs and AI hardware exports. Like previous D-series products, the card was reportedly designed with reduced AI-related compute capability while maintaining gaming-focused performance levels intended to comply with US regulations.
Industry sources claim the sudden customs decision has caught NVIDIA off guard. Since the RTX 5090 D v2 was created specifically for China, the product reportedly cannot easily be redirected to other markets without further modification or re-positioning. According to reports from Chinese motherboard manufacturers, logistics firms recently received notices stating that import processing approvals for the RTX 5090 D v2 would not be issued. No official public explanation has yet been provided by Chinese authorities regarding the alleged restriction. Speculation surrounding the reasoning varies.
Some local hardware industry participants reportedly believe Chinese regulators may see the RTX 5090 D v2 as a deliberately downgraded product designed primarily around US export limitations rather than the needs of the domestic Chinese market. Others note that the card's AI compute capabilities were already restricted, meaning a ban would likely have minimal effect on the development of China's own AI accelerator ecosystem. The timing is also notable. Recent discussions between US and Chinese officials, including meetings involving NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, had led some observers to expect a possible easing of tensions surrounding semiconductor exports and AI hardware restrictions. Instead, reports indicate that restrictions affecting advanced GPU products remain highly sensitive. At present, the situation remains based on supply-chain leaks and reports from Chinese hardware partners rather than official confirmation from NVIDIA or Chinese regulators. Additional verification from multiple industry sources is reportedly still ongoing.
