ByteDance, Alibaba, Tencent order over 3 million Nvidia RTX PRO 5500 cards, Reuters says
In short
ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent have ordered more than 3 million Nvidia RTX PRO 5500 graphics cards, worth over $35 billion at about $11,400 each, Korean outlets reported, citing Reuters. Nvidia reportedly told customers it can deliver only 5-10% of the quantities requested, because total Chinese orders of more than 6 million exceed its maximum 2027 output of about 3 million.
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ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent have ordered more than 3 million of Nvidia's RTX PRO 5500 graphics cards, Korean outlets reported on 20 and 21 October, citing a Reuters report of 20 October. At about $11,400 per card, the sources said, the total exceeds $35 billion. Korean outlets converted that to between 46 and 48 trillion won. Seoul Economic Daily said Reuters cited two sources, while Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo said three. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
The RTX PRO 5500 is described by Korea Economic Daily, Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo as a workstation GPU rather than a high-end data-centre AI processor. Seoul Economic Daily called it a PC graphics card. Korea Economic Daily said it is among the most powerful Nvidia chips Chinese companies can currently buy. Nvidia's Blackwell-based B300 cannot be sold in China, and its Hopper-based H200 needs case-by-case export approval. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ]
According to the sources, the Chinese companies mainly plan to use the cards for AI inference, which needs less computing power than training models. The RTX PRO 5500 has performance similar to the RTX 6000D, which Nvidia launched around the middle of last year to meet US export limits. Chinese companies had found that card too expensive for its performance and waited for the US to allow sales of stronger processors. Chosun Ilbo, Seoul Economic Daily and Kukmin Ilbo said the RTX 6000D has since been discontinued and its price in China has roughly doubled. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 7 ]
Supply falls far short of demand. One source said Nvidia told customers it can deliver only 5-10% of the quantities requested. Another said Nvidia can produce at most about 3 million RTX PRO 5500 cards in 2027, while total orders from Chinese customers have passed 6 million. Reuters expects supply to tighten further because Nvidia plans to move a large share of its TSMC capacity from products such as the RTX PRO 5500 to the next-generation Rubin data-centre platform from 2027. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
Chosun Ilbo alone added that Nvidia is reported to plan initial samples in December and commercial shipments from the first quarter of next year. It also said Tanshun Technology (탄순테크놀로지), a Shenzhen-listed company, disclosed on 13 October a contract to buy 20,000 RTX PRO 5500 cards, while warning that deliveries could be delayed or reduced by supply shortages and overseas technology rules. [ 6 ]
Korea Economic Daily, Yonhap and Kukmin Ilbo noted that Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang had said US sanctions cost Nvidia its once near-exclusive position in China's AI data-centre chip market; Yonhap and Kukmin Ilbo said he put its share at virtually zero. Reuters read the new orders as showing continued strong Chinese demand for Nvidia hardware despite US controls. [ 2 , 4 , 7 ]
Why it matters
Korean outlets, citing Reuters, read the orders as showing that Chinese companies still want Nvidia hardware despite US export controls. Supply is expected to stay tight, since Nvidia is reported to be shifting TSMC capacity toward its Rubin platform from 2027.
Key facts
- Reuters reported on 20 October, citing sources, that ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent ordered more than 3 million Nvidia RTX PRO 5500 graphics cards in total. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 ]
- The cards are priced at about $11,400 each, which puts the order above $35 billion; Korean outlets converted this to between 46 and 48 trillion won. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Total Chinese orders for the RTX PRO 5500 exceed 6 million units, against a maximum Nvidia output of about 3 million in 2027. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- One source said Nvidia told customers it can deliver only 5-10% of the quantity requested. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Nvidia's Blackwell-based B300 cannot be sold in China, and its Hopper-based H200 needs case-by-case export approval. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- The sources said the Chinese companies mainly plan to use the cards for AI inference, which needs less computing power than training models. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- ByteDance, Alibaba and Tencent ordered more than 3 million RTX PRO 5500 cards at about $11,400 each, a total above $35 billion, according to Reuters as cited by several Korean outlets. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Chinese customers have ordered more than 6 million RTX PRO 5500 cards in total, while Nvidia can produce at most about 3 million in 2027. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Nvidia told customers it can supply only 5-10% of the requested quantity. [ 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- The B300 is barred from sale in China and the H200 requires case-by-case approval. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- The RTX PRO 5500 has performance similar to the RTX 6000D, which Nvidia made for China and which has been discontinued. [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- Nvidia is expected to shift a large part of its TSMC production capacity from products such as the RTX PRO 5500 to its Rubin platform from 2027. [ 1 , 4 , 6 , 7 ]
Still unclear
- How many sources Reuters relied on. Seoul Economic Daily says two sources, Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo say three, and other outlets say only sources.
- Whether the RTX PRO 5500 is a PC graphics card or a workstation GPU. Seoul Economic Daily calls it a PC graphics card; Korea Economic Daily, Yonhap and Chosun Ilbo call it a workstation chip.
- The won value of the order. Outlets give 46 trillion won (Newsis, Kukmin Ilbo), 47 trillion won (Seoul Economic Daily, Korea Economic Daily, Chosun Ilbo) and 48 trillion won (Yonhap) for the same $35 billion.
- Nvidia's delivery timetable and a 20,000-card purchase contract by Tanshun Technology (탄순테크놀로지). Only Chosun Ilbo reports that Nvidia plans initial samples in December and commercial shipments from the first quarter of next year, and that the Shenzhen-listed company disclosed the contract on 13 October.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Seoul Economic Daily published its report on the orders, citing Reuters of 20 October. [ 1 ]
- Korea Economic Daily published its report on 20 October. [ 2 ]
- Newsis published its report on 21 October. [ 3 ]
- Yonhap published its report on 21 October. [ 4 ]
- Chosun Ilbo published its report on 21 October. [ 6 ]
- Kukmin Ilbo published its report on 22 October. [ 7 ]