NVIDIA is once again making headlines in the semiconductor industry, this time with a strategic order worth approximately $144 million for advanced memory chips from Samsung. 
According to reports out of South Korea, the GPU giant has instructed Samsung to double production of its next-generation GDDR7 memory modules. This move is seen as a direct step to support the upcoming Blackwell B40 AI GPUs – custom chips designed specifically for the Chinese market.
Why does this matter? The answer lies in the complicated geopolitics of technology exports. NVIDIA’s latest quarterly results revealed that it made no revenue from its China-specific H20 AI GPUs due to ongoing U.S. export restrictions. In an attempt to keep one of its largest markets open, CEO Jensen Huang has reportedly been in negotiations with the Trump administration to secure licenses for a new generation of China-approved AI chips. The Blackwell B40, which trades costly HBM memory for the more accessible GDDR7 standard, is expected to sidestep some of the restrictions while still delivering high-performance AI computing power.
During a recent White House press conference, President Trump confirmed discussions with Huang about the Blackwell series, even hinting that a less powerful but legally compliant version of NVIDIA’s flagship hardware was being prepared. For investors and industry analysts, this is a signal that NVIDIA intends to maintain a strong foothold in China, despite mounting regulatory challenges. The new reports from ETNews reinforce this narrative by suggesting that NVIDIA is not only planning but actively preparing for large-scale shipments of the B40 once approval is secured.
The financial figures also underscore the seriousness of the deal. Doubling Samsung’s GDDR7 output could amount to KRW 200 billion, roughly equivalent to $144 million in supply contracts. For Samsung, this marks a rare and valuable win in the high-end AI GPU market. Until now, the Korean tech conglomerate has struggled to break into NVIDIA’s supply chain for HBM memory, where rival Micron and SK Hynix have often held the upper hand. With GDDR7, however, Samsung secures a more central role, potentially reshaping its position in the global AI hardware race.
It’s worth noting that while GDDR7 is not as fast as HBM3e, it still provides a powerful balance between bandwidth, efficiency, and cost. For the China-specific B40 chips, this trade-off makes strategic sense: NVIDIA can deliver GPUs that remain competitive in AI performance while avoiding components restricted by U.S. export laws. Analysts also speculate that Samsung is quietly working to expand its presence in HBM markets by cutting prices and even supplying NVIDIA with HBM3e modules for its ultra-high-end Blackwell Ultra GPUs – aimed at markets outside China.
Ultimately, this deal reflects the increasingly complex dance between technology innovation, global supply chains, and geopolitics. NVIDIA’s push to secure memory supply for the B40 highlights how vital China remains to its growth strategy, while Samsung’s cooperation positions it as a key partner in this delicate balancing act. As both companies maneuver through shifting regulations and fierce competition, the ripple effects of this $144 million order will likely be felt across the semiconductor industry.
2 comments
gddr7 not as fast as hbm3e but still solid
trump involved in gpu deals now? what a timeline