Core Viewpoint - The National Market Supervision Administration of China has initiated further investigations into NVIDIA for alleged violations of the Anti-Monopoly Law and conditions related to its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies, confirming initial findings of misconduct [2][4]. Group 1: Investigation Details - NVIDIA was previously under investigation since December 2024 for suspected violations of the Anti-Monopoly Law and conditions set during the approval of its acquisition of Mellanox Technologies [4]. - The latest announcement indicates that NVIDIA has been preliminarily confirmed to have violated Chinese anti-monopoly laws and the conditions of the acquisition approval [4][5]. Group 2: Market Position and Practices - NVIDIA currently holds approximately 90% of the global AI chip market for data centers, driven by the surge in demand for AI chips [5]. - Allegations suggest that NVIDIA has been engaging in bundling sales practices to suppress competition, offering better pricing and faster delivery only to customers using its products [5][6]. Group 3: Global Investigations - Other countries, including France and the EU, have also begun investigations into NVIDIA's practices, with reports indicating potential abuse of market dominance in the AI chip sector [6]. - The French competition authority has confirmed an investigation into NVIDIA's alleged anti-competitive behavior, highlighting the risks associated with its market position [6]. Group 4: Financial Implications - If found in violation, NVIDIA could face fines ranging from 1 billion to 10 billion USD based on its 2023 revenue in China, which was 10.4 billion USD [15]. - The maximum penalty could reach up to 50 billion USD if the violations are deemed particularly severe, although the historical maximum fine in China was 6.088 billion RMB [16][19].
英伟达违反反垄断法,或面临98亿元罚款!