Megaspeed Launches Internal Investigation Into Suspected Chip Access for Chinese Firms

Megaspeed, which is described as the biggest buyer of Nvidia chips in south-east Asia, is suspected of giving Chinese companies backdoor access to Nvidia's chips. A backdoor is a hidden route into a computer system. The company said it has launched an internal investigation into its business and retained external legal counsel, meaning outside lawyers, to conduct it.

The suspicion centres on data centres, the large facilities that house banks of computer servers, which Megaspeed operates in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Nvidia is banned from selling its advanced chips to China, so questions about who can reach those chips through third parties carry weight under the existing restrictions.

In Washington, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said several agencies had favoured placing Megaspeed on the entity list for months. The entity list is a US register of foreign companies that face restrictions on receiving American technology. Bessent's remarks put the company's status at the centre of a government debate that has been running for some time.

Separately, Howard Lutnick has been called to testify before the Senate Banking Committee next month. The hearing will examine his department's role in allowing Nvidia to export advanced chips. The Senate Banking Committee is the US Senate panel that handles banking and financial matters, and the hearing is expected to be held in December.

The case has also drawn attention to the Huang family name. Megaspeed said Alice Huang left her executive role at the company in August 2025. Alice Huang has been linked to Jensen Huang, who resigned as chief executive of Nvidia after alleged affairs with Alice Huang and one of his employees emerged.

China has denied that Alice Huang is a spy.