STORY: China’s market regulator has said that a preliminary investigation found that Nvidia had violated the country’s anti-monopoly law.
It marks the latest hit for the U.S. chip giant, which is known for its artificial intelligence and gaming chips.
The brief statement did not elaborate on how Nvidia might have violated the anti-monopoly laws.
China in December launched an investigation into Nvidia over what it said were suspected violations.
The probe has widely been seen as a retaliatory shot against Washington’s curbs on the Chinese chip sector.
The regulator also said the U.S. chipmaker was suspected of violating commitments it made during its acquisition of Israeli chip designer Mellanox Technologies.
Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
According to China’s antitrust law, companies can face fines of between 1% and 10% of their annual sales from the previous year.
China generated $17 billion in revenue for Nvidia in the fiscal year ending January, or 13% of total sales, based on its latest annual report.
The development comes as the U.S. and China hold trade talks in Madrid.
Chips, including the ones made by Nvidia, are expected to be on the agenda.
