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AI CURATED HOT STORY · 11/3/2026

Huawei Directs Customers to Black Market for AI Chip Memory Amid Sanctions

1 reports archived1 independent sourcesupdated 11/3/2026, 19:47:37
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Facing U.S. sanctions and severe supply shortages, Huawei is directing customers to procure High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for its AI chips independently on the black market. This scarcity has fueled a sophisticated smuggling network exploiting export control loopholes, driving HBM prices to around $4,000 per unit and leading South Korea to report record levels of illegal chip exports.

LATEST/Facing U.S. sanctions and severe supply shortages, Huawei is directing customers to procure High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) for its AI chips independently on the black market. This scarcity has fueled a sophisticated smuggling network exploiting export control loopholes, driving HBM prices to around $4,000 per unit and leading South Korea to report record levels of illegal chip exports.

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Total 1 reports · Latest first
  1. The DecoderT2·78 pts

    Huawei Directs Customers to Black Market for AI Chip Memory Amid Sanctions

    • Huawei shifts memory procurement responsibility to customers via black markets due to sanction-induced HBM shortages.
    • Smuggling networks evade U.S. export controls by pairing HBM with low-end processors and routing through Hong Kong.
    • Supply-demand imbalance drives black-market HBM prices to ~$4,000/unit, with South Korea reporting record illegal chip exports.