ByteDance Secures Access to Nvidia AI Chips for Global Expansion

Chinese tech giant partners with Southeast Asian cloud provider to build AI computing infrastructure outside China

Mar. 16, 2026 at 2:33pm

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ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is building significant computing infrastructure using top-tier Nvidia processors in Southeast Asia as part of its strategy to compete globally in AI development. The company is collaborating with Aolani Cloud, a Southeast Asian cloud computing provider, to deploy approximately 500 Nvidia Blackwell computing systems in Malaysia, which would include roughly 36,000 B200 AI chips. This computing power will support ByteDance's artificial intelligence research and development efforts outside of China while meeting growing AI demands from its international customer base.

Why it matters

This arrangement highlights how Chinese technology companies are circumventing U.S. export restrictions that have prevented Nvidia from directly selling its most advanced AI chips to China for over three years. By partnering with cloud providers in other countries, Chinese firms like ByteDance are able to access the computing power they need to advance their AI capabilities and compete globally, even as they face limitations in their domestic market.

The details

ByteDance is collaborating with Southeast Asian cloud computing provider Aolani Cloud to deploy approximately 500 Nvidia Blackwell computing systems in Malaysia, which would include roughly 36,000 B200 AI chips. The total hardware costs for this arrangement are likely to exceed $2.5 billion. ByteDance, which generates about a quarter of its revenue from markets outside China, has positioned itself to compete with major American technology companies across various AI applications aimed at everyday consumers.

  • ByteDance is building this computing infrastructure in Southeast Asia as part of its global expansion strategy.

The players

ByteDance

The parent company of TikTok, which is building significant computing infrastructure using top-tier Nvidia processors in Southeast Asia as part of its strategy to compete globally in AI development.

Aolani Cloud

A Southeast Asian cloud computing provider that is collaborating with ByteDance to deploy approximately 500 Nvidia Blackwell computing systems in Malaysia.

Nvidia

An American technology company that manufactures graphics processing units (GPUs) and other computing components, including the Blackwell and B200 AI chips that are being used in ByteDance's computing infrastructure.

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What they’re saying

“Nvidia's compliance team reviews all cloud partners before selling chips either directly or indirectly.”

— Nvidia spokesperson (Breitbart)

“Users of these 'Trojan Horse' apps are 'effectively surrendering their privacy and security to the Chinese regime.'”

— Wynton Hall, Author, CODE RED (Daily Mail)

“Few understand our conservative fight against Big Tech as Hall does, making him 'uniquely qualified to examine how we can best utilize AI's enormous potential, while ensuring it does not exploit kids, creators, and conservatives.'”

— Senator Marsha Blackburn, TIME's 100 Most Influential People in AI (Breitbart)

What’s next

ByteDance and Aolani Cloud are expected to continue their partnership to further expand ByteDance's computing infrastructure in Southeast Asia as the company seeks to grow its global presence and compete with major American tech firms in the AI space.

The takeaway

This deal highlights how Chinese tech companies are finding ways to circumvent U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips, allowing them to build the computing power needed to advance their AI capabilities and compete globally, even as they face limitations in their domestic market.