TikTok's parent company ByteDance has found a way to access NVIDIA's latest B200 AI chips despite US export restrictions, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Chinese tech giant is partnering with Singapore-based Aolani Cloud to build Blackwell computing systems in Malaysia, bypassing direct export controls that prevent China from accessing these processors.

This arrangement will give ByteDance access to approximately 36,000 B200 chips in a deal worth over $2.5 billion. NVIDIA's most powerful processor, the B200 chip was designed in California and falls under US export controls targeting China. By operating through Aolani Cloud's Malaysian facility, ByteDance can legally access the hardware while staying within export rule frameworks.

An NVIDIA spokesperson confirmed that export rules allow cloud infrastructure to be built outside controlled countries, with all partners undergoing review before receiving products. Aolani Cloud representative told Reuters the company adheres to export regulations and plans to serve multiple Asian clients, though ByteDance's $2.5 billion investment dwarfs Aolani's current $100 million hardware capacity. This workaround mirrors strategies other Chinese companies have employed to circumvent AI chip restrictions.