Nvidia’s advanced B300 AI servers are now reportedly selling for nearly $1 million each in China, almost double their U.S. price, as tighter American export restrictions and anti-smuggling enforcement create severe supply shortages. According to industry sources, the scarcity has transformed the B300 into one of China’s most expensive and sought-after AI computing assets.

The B300, equipped with eight GPUs and designed for high-performance AI inference, normally costs around $550,000 in the United States. In China, however, prices have surged to roughly 7 million yuan due to shrinking grey-market channels and rising demand from major Chinese technology firms racing to expand AI model deployment.

China’s growing need for AI infrastructure is accelerating the premium. Local firms are under pressure to secure hardware capable of efficiently processing tokens, a key monetization factor for generative AI systems. At the same time, many companies are cautious about directly owning restricted Nvidia systems because of potential exposure to U.S. sanctions.

The market disruption intensified after U.S. legal action against individuals tied to Nvidia partner Supermicro, further constraining unofficial supply routes. As a result, some Chinese companies are shifting from direct purchases to rentals, with monthly leasing costs reaching as high as 190,000 yuan.

This environment is also creating strategic opportunities for domestic rivals such as Huawei, which aims to capture market share as uncertainty around Nvidia’s H200 and B300 exports continues. Despite sanctions, Nvidia still holds a dominant position in China’s AI chip market, but prolonged restrictions may accelerate local alternatives and reshape competitive dynamics.