China Investigates Nvidia's Mellanox Acquisition for Antitrust Violations Amid US Chip Dispute

Dec 9, 2024, 02:34 PM

China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) announced on December 9, 2024, that it has launched an antitrust investigation into US chipmaker Nvidia over suspected violations of China's anti-monopoly law and commitments made during its 2020 acquisition of Mellanox Technologies. The probe may be seen as retaliation for recent US export controls imposed on China's access to advanced AI chips and high-end semiconductors. Nvidia, the world's largest provider of processors powering AI systems, saw its shares drop by 2.6% following the announcement. The investigation marks an escalation in the ongoing semiconductor dispute between Beijing and Washington.