Chinese buyers pay $1M per Nvidia B300 server amid export curbs and AI demand surge

Chinese tech firms are paying nearly $1 million each for Nvidia's B300 servers, almost double the U.S. price, due to U.S. export restrictions and a crackdown on chip smuggling. The B300 servers, powerful AI inference machines, are not officially sold in China, causing a tight supply and high prices. Despite restrictions, Nvidia holds about 55% of China's AI chip market, while domestic competitors try to gain ground. The surge in Chinese AI usage is driving demand, with token usage rising sharply in early 2026.