The US let Nvidia sell chips to an empty office in China

The government is approving sales of Nvidia’s AI chips to Chinese firms with ties to blacklisted companies.

The government is approving sales of Nvidia’s AI chips to Chinese firms with ties to blacklisted companies.

by Terrence O'BrienNov 7, 2026, 3:43 PM UTCImage: Cath Virginia / The VergeTerrence O'Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He’s covered the tech industry for over 18 years and knows a thing or two about synths.

Concerns are being raised that neither the Commerce Department nor Nvidia are doing their due diligence when it comes to vetting Chinese firms cleared to handle the company’s H200 AI chips. According to The New York Times, New Matrix is on the list of approved firms, yet its offices are empty, “a hollow gray shell with wires dangling from the ceiling where lights should be.” In fact, the paper could find little evidence that the company exists in any meaningful way: