MSI denies involvement in HUGE Chinese RTX 5090 imports
Pallets of Nvidia’s RTX 5090 GPUs appear in China, breaking US export restrictions
Nvidia’s RTX 5090 GPU cannot be exported to China, at least not legally. However, it looks like US export restrictions have not stopped pallets of MSI RTX 5090 graphics cards from appearing in a Chinese city, with Reddit users spotting what seems to be hundreds of GPUs.
MSI has released a statement to officially deny involvement in these alleged shipments. MSI claims that it does not ship Nvidia’s RTX 5090 to the Chinese market. Only MSI’s RTX 5090 D and RTX 5090 D V2 GPUs have officially shipped there. MSI claims that its RTX 5090 GPUs could only reach China outside of MSI’s official supply chain through unauthorised distributors.
Nvidia’s RTX 5090 GPU is highly sought after in China for its AI capabilities. China’s version of this GPU, the RTX 5090 D and RTX 5090 D V2, both feature nerfed AI capabilities. This lessens the appeal of Nvidia’s flagship GeForce RTX GPU. Furthermore, it has created a market for illegal RTX 5090 exports to China.
Below is MSI’s full statement.
MSI has noted online rumors claiming that the GeForce RTX 5090 is circulating in China, creating market confusion. We clarify that MSI has never officially sold or distributed the GeForce RTX 5090 in China. Any units found locally are not from MSI-authorized channels and have entered through unauthorized distribution unrelated to our sales policy.
We strictly comply with international regulations and NVIDIA’s regional authorization framework. The GeForce RTX 5090 is available only in the Americas, Europe, and select Asia-Pacific markets. In China, MSI offers only the GeForce RTX 5090 D and GeForce RTX 5090 D V2 — versions designed to meet local regulatory requirements. Any RTX 5090 units appearing in China can therefore be clearly identified as non-official supply.
Our global serial-number tracking shows that these products mainly originate from overseas retail markets, imported by unauthorized distributors or resellers through parallel channels. They are outside MSI’s official supply chain, unverified in source and handling, and not covered by our quality-control or warranty policies.
We remind consumers that products purchased through non-official channels may have been resold or tampered with and are not eligible for MSI warranty, repair services, or technical support in China. To ensure authenticity and protection, customers should buy only from authorized MSI partners.
MSI is committed to upholding brand integrity and market order and will not tolerate misinformation that misleads consumers. We encourage media outlets and online communities to verify facts before sharing. Looking ahead, we will continue to reinforce channel management and product traceability and work with international partners to prevent unauthorized distribution, taking additional measures when necessary to protect brand reputation and consumer rights.
– MSI
It’s unknown what exact actions MSI will take to help prevent further Chinese exports. MSI says that it will “reinforce channel management and product traceability”. This may allow MSI to uncover who illegally exported these GPUs to China, or prevent future incidents like this.
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