Key Points
- Sharetronic Data Technology from Shenzhen revealed documentation showing $92 million in server purchases featuring restricted Nvidia processors
- These systems incorporate Nvidia H100 and H200 processors, which require US government authorization for Chinese sales starting in 2022
- Company shares declined approximately 10% following the revelation
- Both Super Micro and Dell maintain they have no transaction records involving Sharetronic
- The revelation emerged the same day US authorities filed smuggling charges against a Super Micro co-founder
Sharetronic Data Technology, an AI data center operator headquartered in Shenzhen, made public invoices documenting its acquisition of 276 Super Micro servers equipped with Nvidia H100 and H200 processors. The documentation shows these servers carried a total price of 632 million yuan, equivalent to approximately $92 million.
Washington implemented export controls on the H100 and H200 processors in 2022, requiring special authorization for Chinese sales. American officials established these restrictions to constrain China’s advancement in AI capabilities with potential military applications.
Bloomberg News located these invoices within documentation submitted to Chinese regulatory bodies. The paperwork, carrying dates from May and June of the previous year, records transactions between Sharetronic and a subsidiary under its control.
This revelation occurred on the same date when American prosecutors brought charges against Yih-Shyan “Wally” Liaw, a founding member of Super Micro Computer, alleging unlawful smuggling of Nvidia-equipped servers valued at $2.5 billion into China. Liaw entered a not guilty plea to the charges.
Sharetronic’s shares experienced a decline approaching 10% during Friday trading in Shenzhen, resulting in the company becoming the MSCI Asia Index’s poorest performer for that trading session.
Corporate Responses
Super Micro released a statement indicating the company has no sales history with Sharetronic and does not recognize them as a customer. Dell similarly reported finding “no record of the alleged sales.” Nvidia communicated that its client base operates under directives prohibiting the provision of regulated servers absent US authorization.
Sharetronic issued a public statement asserting all equipment acquisitions originated from “legal and compliant channels.” The company refrained from providing direct responses regarding the invoice documentation and refused to elaborate on equipment procurement details, referencing client confidentiality obligations.
The firm additionally denied maintaining any commercial relationship with Super Micro.
The origin of Sharetronic’s server acquisition remains unclear at this time. The invoice documentation omits identification of the initial vendor.
Nvidia Partnership Status
Sharetronic operates a joint venture called Guangzhou Fcloud Technology, which carries official designation as an Nvidia Cloud Partner, placing it among only eight such organizations operating in China. This certification indicates Nvidia’s assessment that the organization possesses the capability to deliver secure infrastructure for artificial intelligence operations.
Following receipt of this partnership status, Sharetronic publicly announced intentions to acquire hardware totaling 32.2 billion yuan.
The invoice documentation additionally revealed a secondary purchase of 32 Dell PowerEdge XE9680 servers. Every hardware configuration compatible with these particular servers fell under US export control regulations by the dates shown on the invoices.
US prosecutors have not publicly identified whether Sharetronic appears among the unidentified Chinese customers referenced in the Super Micro criminal case.
