While the demand is there, it's clear that's not the sole reason why Nvidia's RTX 50 series is impossible to find in stores. Many retailers received fairly low stock quantities, as Nvidia reportedly experienced manufacturing issues.

Organised AI chip smuggling to China has been tracked out of countries including Malaysia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates, the source said. The Commerce Department and DeepSeek did not immediately return requests for comment.

Nvidia crossed below its 200-day moving average this week for the first time since 2023. Analysts say the correction could deepen.