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Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1

Bitcoin is the world's first decentralized cryptocurrency, created in 2009 by the pseudonymous Satoshi Nakamoto. It enables peer-to-peer electronic cash transactions without intermediaries like banks or governments, operating on a blockchain secured by Proof of Work mining and the SHA-256 cryptographic algorithm.   With a fixed supply cap of 21 million coins and programmatic halvings every four years that reduce miner rewards, Bitcoin is designed as a deflationary digital asset often called "digital gold." Its value stems from solving the double-spending problem without trusted intermediaries, creating the first truly scarce digital asset with censorship resistance and permissionless access that no government, corporation, or individual can control.  Bitcoin operates as a decentralized peer-to-peer network where transactions are recorded on a public ledger called the blockchain, distributed across thousands of computers globally. Transactions are grouped into blocks added approximately every 10 minutes through mining, where specialized computers compete to solve complex mathematical puzzles.   Bitcoin has achieved mainstream adoption through multiple vectors. The January 2024 SEC approval of 11 spot Bitcoin ETFs opened Bitcoin investment to traditional finance participants, and corporations like Strategy (formerly MicroStrategy) are using Bitcoin as a treasury reserve asset to protect against currency debasement, offering MSTR holders amplified exposure to Bitcoin.   The Bitcoin ecosystem continues to evolve with innovations like Ordinals, which emerged in January 2023 to enable NFT-like functionality directly on Bitcoin, and BRC-20 tokens, an experimental standard for creating fungible tokens using Ordinal inscriptions. BTCFi (Bitcoin Finance) represents emerging financial applications extending beyond Bitcoin's traditional role, with protocols like Babylon allowing Bitcoin holders to stake BTC to secure Proof of Stake chains.

Bitcoin

Bitcoin is currently caught in a volatile tug-of-war as investors weigh macroeconomic instability against the potential for regulatory progress via the Clarity Act. The community remains deeply divided, with bears pointing to geopolitical tensions and liquidation risks as precursors to a deeper correction, while bulls see the ongoing consolidation at the current level as a key accumulation zone and a signal of institutional resilience.

XRP is a decentralized digital asset and the native token of the XRP Ledger, a Layer 1 blockchain designed for high-performance global payments. Its primary value proposition is offering a fast, cost-effective alternative to traditional banking systems by enabling near-instant cross-border settlements that finalize in three to five seconds. By serving as a neutral bridge asset between different fiat currencies, it helps financial institutions lower liquidity costs and eliminates the need for pre-funded accounts.  The network is unique because it utilizes a federated consensus protocol instead of energy-intensive mining or staking. This system achieves deterministic finality through a Unique Node List of trusted validators who must reach an eighty percent agreement threshold to permanently record transactions. This infrastructure supports a sustained throughput of 1,500 transactions per second and includes a built-in decentralized exchange that allows for the automated trading of any tokenized asset without intermediaries.  The project traces its origins back to 2004 with Ryan Fugger before being co-founded in its modern form by Jed McCaleb and Chris Larsen. The company, now known as Ripple, works with major financial institutions as partners and investors to build global payment solutions. To protect the network from spam, a small amount of XRP is burned during every transaction, and the token is further utilized by institutions as collateral to access traditional markets and manage digital asset infrastructure.  Institutional adoption of the asset reached a major milestone in November 2025 when the SEC approved the first wave of spot XRP ETFs. These products, offered by major issuers including Bitwise, Grayscale, 21Shares, Canary Capital, and Franklin Templeton, are now listed on prominent exchanges like the NYSE Arca, Nasdaq, and Cboe BZX. While Ripple remains a key contributor to the ecosystem, the underlying XRP Ledger continues to operate as an open-source and decentralized network.

Ripple

XRP is trending as investors react to official SEC and CFTC guidance classifying the asset as a digital commodity, a milestone development that has sparked intense debate over the path forward for the Clarity Act. Community sentiment is deeply polarized, with bullish participants pointing to institutional integration as a long-term catalyst, while vocal skeptics argue that ongoing volatility and token supply concerns suggest a recurring pattern of retail manipulation.

What is the project about? Vara Network is a substrate-based future proof smart contract platform that is fast, scalable, and makes it simple to create and deploy next-generation Web3.0 dApps Vara is the first standalone network in the Gear Protocol  Gear is a next-gen cloud infrastructure platform providing most intuitive and frictionless environment for web2 and web3 developers to build complex infrastructure solutions and disruptive dApps for any ecosystem  What makes your project unique? Vara is built upon three core concepts: The actor model, and persistent memory — two widely adopted primitives from massive computation and microservices architecture spaces  Wasm — a WebAssembly-based virtual machine that runs on all modern browsers. Proven to be faster than any alternative web2 virtual machines  Vara was created to serve as a wasm-native hub for innovative protocols that leverage parallel execution and asynchronous programming to deliver leading decentralized products in any segment  History of your project. Gear Protocol and the Vara Network were originally created by Nikolay Volf, one of the core developers of Polkadot. In 2021, he embarked on building an advanced layer 1 smart contract platform using Substrate, Polkadot's custom framework. His vision included creating a platform that enables fast and efficient execution of robust, feature-rich dApps while in a seamless development environment similar to that of Web 2.0 development. He did this by  harnessing the power of innovative technologies like Wasm, the Actor Model, and Persistent Memory. These technologies significantly enhance smart contract development and provide a seamless end-user experience and provide the foundation for the development of Vara Network.  1. Q2 2021 - Pre-Seed Round: In the second quarter of 2021, the Protocol secured its initial funding through a pre-seed round. This likely involved seeking investment from early-stage investors or venture capitalists to kickstart the development of the project.  2. Q4 2021 - Seed Round: In December 2021 raised $12 Million in Venture Round. Private investment round led by Blockchange Venture. In addition to Blockchange, other top venture capital funds participated in this round, including Three  Arrows Capital, Lemniscap, Distributed Global, LAO, Mechanism Capital, Bitscale, Spartan Group LLC, HashKey, DI Ventures, Elysium Venture Capital, Signum Capital and P2P Economy lead by Konstantin Lomashuk, along with a number of top executives of Web3 Foundation and Parity Technologies. Dr. Gavin Wood, Founder and ex-CEO of Parity Technologies and one of the key individual investors participating in this round.  3. 2022 - Intensive Scaling and Development, First Test Integrations: Throughout the year 2022, Vara was focused on two primary activities. First, the engagement in an extensive outreach process to build up the team. Second, the project advanced its technical development efforts and started working on integrating their technology with various test environments to ensure its functionality and viability.  4. Q4 2022 - Testnet Launch.   5. Q1 2023 - PoA Launch: In the first quarter of 2023, Vara achieved launch of its Proof of Authority (PoA) consensus network, which is a chain candidate for mainnet.  Current Status of Vara:  Presently, the project boasts a talented and diverse decentralized workforce, consisting of dozens of engineers and other community members  to drive the project's success.  One of the remarkable aspects of Vara is its substantial pipeline of initiatives with over 40 projects.  What’s next for your project? Current projects being researched and developed by the community:  - Intensive testing and improvement of the actor model features in the blockchain space  - Launch of the key stack of dApps in our parallel and asynchronous environment   - Development of innovative infrastructure solutions (e.g offchain zk actors including machine learning) independently and together with the segment leaders  What can your token be used for? VARA tokens maintain core utility features required for the network to operate: transaction fees staking and network security governance other: gas pools for gas reservation  Contributors to the Gear protocol are exploring the mechanics of how to distribute a portion of block rewards directly toward dApp developers

Vara Network

Vara Network is gaining significant traction on Coinbase as investors debate its long-term potential as decentralized infrastructure, balancing enthusiasm for new DeFi product launches and staking rewards against concerns over ongoing token dilution. The community is actively tracking its volatility and institutional partnerships, with many traders speculating that its low market valuation and recent exchange availability could trigger a breakout.

The mission of the Worldcoin project is to build the world’s largest identity and financial network as a public utility, giving ownership to everyone. A key component of the Worldcoin project is the development of the foundational infrastructure that will be important for a world where AI plays an increasingly large role.  The Worldcoin system revolves around World ID, a privacy-preserving global identity network. World ID enables users to verify their humanness online while maintaining their privacy through zero-knowledge proofs.  Using World ID, individuals will be able to prove that they are a real, unique human to any platform that integrates with the protocol, including to web3 systems, social networking sites, and governmental programs. This will enable fair airdrops or token/NFT sales, provide protection against bots/sybil attacks on social media, and enable the fairer distribution of limited governmental resources. Furthermore, World ID can also enable global democratic processes and novel forms of governance (e.g., via quadratic voting), and it may eventually show a path to AI-funded UBI. The Worldcoin token (WLD), alongside World ID, will let users participate in governing the Worldcoin protocol.   To engage with the Worldcoin protocol, individuals must first download a first wallet app that supports the creation of a World ID. Users visit a physical imaging device called the Orb to get their World ID Orb-verified. Orbs are operated by a network of independent local businesses called Orb Operators. The Orb uses multispectral sensors to verify humanness and uniqueness to issue an Orb-verified World ID, with all images being promptly deleted on-device per default (absent explicit consent to Data Custody). All Orb-verified World IDs holders are entitled to claim recurring grants of free WLD tokens, subject to certain availability restrictions. The WLD token is designed as a utility token with governance properties.

Worldcoin

Worldcoin is experiencing intense community focus as traders weigh concerns over token dilution and price performance against the bullish narrative of 'Proof of Human' becoming a necessity in the AI era. Investors are closely monitoring its integration with OpenAI and major institutional treasury moves, debating whether it serves as a critical infrastructure asset for digital identity or remains a speculative play prone to market volatility.

Cronos is an institutional-grade, high-performance, EVM-compatible Layer-1 blockchain built on the Cosmos SDK and integrated with the Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol, designed as the backbone for open, compliant, and AI-accessible tokenized markets. It supports up to 60,000 transactions per second (TPS), 500ms block times, instant finality, and sub-$0.01 fees via Proof of Authority consensus.

Crypto.com Coin

Community sentiment regarding the asset is currently polarized, with many investors debating the impact of upcoming ETF filings and strategic ecosystem partnerships against ongoing frustrations with price performance and leadership. While some remain bullish on future growth, there is significant chatter about native meme coins on the Cronos blockchain and a prevailing sense of impatience for clearer catalysts to drive volume.

JasmyCoin is based on the ERC 20 standard. The token can also be used by an unspecified number of individuals and businesses to transfer tokens using digital devices as proof of value exchange or payment for services. By not limiting its usability, the token can have a wide range of purposes.

JasmyCoin

JasmyCoin is experiencing significant community division, with long-term holders debating whether to continue accumulating during the current downturn or abandon the project due to a lack of clear utility and missed price targets. Conversations are dominated by frustration over recent market performance, skepticism toward the development team's transparency, and contrasting hopes that upcoming news cycles or macroeconomic shifts will eventually spark a recovery.

SSgA Active Trust - State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust

The SPY is currently reeling from intense volatility driven by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and a barrage of conflicting headlines regarding potential ceasefires and military operations. Market participants are actively debating the long-term impact of rising energy costs and supply chain disruptions while expressing deep division over the administration's handling of the conflict and its influence on global market stability.

Applied Materials, Inc. engages in provision of materials engineering solutions used to produce semiconductors. The firm also focuses on design, development, production, and servicing of the critical wafer fabrication tools used for customers to manufacture semiconductors. It operates through the following segments: Semiconductor Systems and Applied Global Services (AGS). The Semiconductor Systems segment includes designing, development, manufacturing and sale of equipment used to fabricate semiconductor chips referred to as integrated circuits. The AGS segment engages in provision of services, spares, and factory automation software to customer fabrication plants globally. The company was founded on November 10, 1967 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, CA.

Applied Materials Inc.

Applied Materials is currently trending as investors weigh strong AI-driven wafer fabrication equipment demand against persistent export concerns. The community is actively debating the stock's resilience, with many comparing its current price action to previous volatility cycles and looking for signs that the recent dip serves as a potential buying opportunity.

Whirlpool Corp. engages in the manufacturing and marketing of home appliances. Its products include home laundry appliances, refrigerators and freezers, cooking appliances, home dishwashers, and room air-conditioning equipment, mixers, and portable household appliances. The firm's brands include Whirlpool, KitchenAid, Maytag, Consul, Brastemp, Amana, Bauknecht, JennAir, and Indesit. It operates through the following segments: North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Latin America, and Asia. The company was founded by Emory Upton, Fred Upton, and Louis C. Upton on November 11, 1911 and is headquartered in Benton Harbor, MI.

Whirlpool Corp.

Whirlpool is trending due to activist investor David Tepper's public discontent with management's dilutive equity offering and recent poor earnings, sparking intense debate among investors over its deeply discounted valuation versus fears of continued decline amid a challenging home appliance market.

Ethereum is a global, open-source platform for decentralized applications. In other words, it is a decentralized blockchain platform that enables developers to build and deploy smart contracts and applications without central authority control. Unlike Bitcoin, which primarily functions as digital currency, Ethereum operates as a programmable global computer where developers can create any type of decentralized service.   The platform hosts over $14 billion in DeFi applications with hundreds of thousands of active users across financial protocols, NFT marketplaces, and gaming platforms. Its transition to Proof of Stake in September 2022 reduced energy consumption by over 99%, addressing environmental concerns while strengthening network security.  The network operates through thousands of independent validator nodes that process transactions and execute smart contracts on the Ethereum Virtual Machine. Smart contracts are self-executing programs written in Solidity that automatically carry out agreements when conditions are met, eliminating intermediaries like banks or brokers.   Validators stake ETH as collateral to propose and validate blocks, earning rewards for honest participation while facing penalties for malicious behavior. The EIP-1559 upgrade introduced a dynamic base fee mechanism that burns ETH with each transaction, creating deflationary pressure during high network activity when more ETH is burned than issued to validators.  Vitalik Buterin proposed Ethereum in 2013, but seven co-founders helped build it, including Gavin Wood who created Solidity and the EVM technical specification, and Joseph Lubin who founded ConsenSys. The project launched in July 2015 after raising over $18 million through crowdfunding, quickly becoming the largest blockchain developer community. Major milestones include the 2020 Beacon Chain launch, the 2021 London hard fork implementing fee burning, and the 2022 Merge to Proof of Stake.   Ether (ETH) serves multiple functions: paying transaction fees (gas), staking to secure the network and earn 3-5% annual yields, serving as collateral in DeFi protocols, and purchasing NFTs and digital assets. The asset is increasingly adopted by traditional institutions, with publicly traded companies adding ETH to corporate treasuries to generate staking yields while maintaining blockchain exposure, and in 2024, the SEC approved spot Ethereum ETFs, allowing traditional investors to gain exposure through conventional brokerage accounts.  Ethereum's roadmap focuses on dramatically increasing transaction capacity to over 100,000 per second, reducing confirmation times, and enhancing decentralization while maintaining security against future threats like quantum computing.

Ethereum

Ethereum is facing intense volatility as the market navigates conflicting signals from institutional adoption, regulatory clarity, and macroeconomic headwinds. The community remains deeply divided, with some investors accumulating during dips in anticipation of a long-term breakout, while others voice exhaustion over sustained price pressure and broader economic uncertainty.

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The Iran Storm Bypasses China: Why Its ETFs Look Attractive Now

ETFs like MCHI draw attention as China's retail sales and industrial output beat expectations, signaling renewed economic momentum.

China ETFs in Spotlight as Beijing Softens GDP Growth Target for 2026

China trims its 2026 GDP goal to 4.5%-5%, putting ETFs like MCHI in focus as investors weigh tech-driven growth, stimulus effects and earnings outlook.

Alibaba Group office building in Chongqing Municipality, China, pictured on March 23, 2025. (LI HONGBO/Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images)

Alibaba Stock Climbs Premarket After 6-Day Losing Streak

BABA shares have declined sharply of late, amid a broad selloff in the U.S. markets.

Equity

BABA shares have declined sharply of late, amid a broad selloff in the U.S. markets.


<ul class="summary-bullets"><li>Baidu said its buyback will run through 2028.</li><li>The Chinese internet giant will pay its first-ever dividend this year, though details are pending.</li><li>Stocktwits sentiment for BIDU remained in the ‘bearish’ zone.</li></ul>U.S.-listed shares of Baidu, Inc. jumped nearly 5% in after-hours trading on Wednesday after the Chinese search and internet giant announced its maiden dividend and a fresh buyback plan.Baidu said it expects to pay its first-ever dividend this year, though it will announce the amount and timing later. The company’s board approved a new share repurchase program for up to $5 billion that will run through December 2026.“With our substantial cash reserves and sound financial management capabilities, we aim to create and continuously enhance long-term value for our shareholders through our proactive shareholder return initiatives,” the company said in a&nbsp;<a class="st-link-external" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baidu-announces-new-share-repurchase-program-and-dividend-policy-302679608.html#:~:text=The%20Board%20has%20authorized%20a,terms%20and%20size%20as%20appropriate.">statement</a>.Baidu’s peer Alibaba approved a $25 billion stock repurchase program in 2024, while Tencent rolled out a plan to buy back $10 billion worth of company shares last year.BIDU drew heavy buzz on Stocktwits late Wednesday, although retail sentiment for the stock continued to track ‘bearish,’ unchanged over the past week.<figure class="image"><img src="https://news.stocktwits-cdn.com/Screenshot_2026_02_05_at_8_18_03_AM_png_82c5f29ba3.webp" alt="Screenshot 2026-02-05 at 8.18.03 AM.png" width="586" height="82"><figcaption>BIDU sentiment and message volume as of February 4 | Source: Stocktwits</figcaption></figure>Several users cheered Baidu’s latest capital return policies. “A $5 billion buyback which is almost 10% of the company mind you and the first ever dividend. This is why you sit tight and be patient and make the big money!” said a user.<stembedurl>https://www.stocktwits.com/BigG75/message/644045704</stembedurl>Another praised Baidu’s new CFO Haijian He, who was&nbsp;<a class="st-link-external" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/baidu-appoints-haijian-he-cfo-2025-07-01/">appointed</a> last July.&nbsp;“Our new CFO has a lot of experience and knows exactly what he’s doing- he will guide BAIDU into the future growth and future market cap it deserves… Baidu's bull market has just begun!” this person said.<stembedurl>https://stocktwits.com/BigG75/message/644047682</stembedurl>The plans come amid a sharp slide in&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/BIDU">Baidu’s shares</a>. The stock has declined for five sessions straight, cumulatively losing about 14%. It has lagged peer Alibaba, whose stock has risen 60% over the past 12 months versus 53% gains in BIDU.For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

In this photo illustration, the Baidu logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. 

Why Did BIDU Stock Jump Nearly 5% After-Hours Today?

Baidu joins peers Alibaba and Tencent in enhancing shareholder returns.

 China ETFs in Focus as Beijing's Trade Surplus Touches Record $1.2T

China's record $1.19T trade surplus amid tariffs puts China ETFs like MCHI in focus, as exports pivot beyond the US and high-tech shipments surge. 

China's BYD Beats Tesla as 2025's Top EV Seller: ETFs in Spotlight

BYD overtakes Tesla as the world's top EV seller in 2025, reshaping the EV landscape and putting ETFs with BYD exposure in focus.

In this photo illustration US flag is displayed on computer screen while Chinese flag is displayed on mobile phone screen. (Photo by Dilara Irem Sancar/Anadolu via Getty Images)

China Tech Is Back — AI Boom Drives Hong Kong Stocks To Best Run In 8 Years

Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index rose 26.7% – its best annual gain since 2017 – while the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 19.7%, its best performance in six years.

Mainland Chinese firms dominate the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

<ul class="summary-bullets"><li>He cited progress under the current Five-Year Plan and gains in economic and technological capacity.</li><li>Beijing is tightening its push for domestic semiconductor equipment and self-reliance.</li><li>The outlook emphasized growth and manufacturing recovery ahead of 2026.</li></ul>Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly used his New Year’s Eve address to project confidence in China’s development model, highlighting advances in AI, semiconductors, robotics and defense as evidence that the country is building momentum despite external pressure.<h2 class="st-heading-2">AI, Chips Take Center Stage In Xi’s Outlook</h2>Xi said innovation remains a key focus of China’s growth strategy, pointing to progress in large AI models, semiconductor research, and areas such as humanoid robots and drones, according to a&nbsp;<a class="st-link-external" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-12-31/xi-touts-china-s-ai-chip-wins-in-triumphant-new-year-s-speech">report</a> by Bloomberg.He said the country had met major goals under its 14th Five-Year Plan and that gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to reach about 140 trillion yuan ($20 trillion) in 2025, noting gains in economic, technological, and defense capabilities.<h2 class="st-heading-2">AI Demand Surges Even As Curbs Persist</h2>Xi’s upbeat tone comes as China’s AI ambitions are colliding with global supply constraints. Demand for advanced AI chips inside China has surged,&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/nvidia-s-china-orders-are-surging-and-retail-believes-price-targets-will-follow/cL7BPswREz2">prompting Nvidia to seek additional manufacturing capacity</a> at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. for its H200 processors.&nbsp;Chinese firms have reportedly lined up orders for more than 2 million H200 units for delivery in 2026, far exceeding Nvidia’s current allocation.Major Chinese internet companies are driving the demand, viewing the H200 as a step-change over domestic alternatives, even as U.S. export controls limit access to the most advanced chips.<h2 class="st-heading-2">Beijing Tightens Self-Reliance Push</h2>In addition to its use of approved foreign chips, Beijing is also speeding up domestic efforts. Chinese chipmakers have been asked to demonstrate that&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/china-makes-50-percent-domestic-equipment-mandatory-for-new-semiconductor-plants-report/cL74DsnREUf">at least 50% of equipment is locally sourced</a> in order to get new fabs or expansions approved, and officials say they would like to go all-local eventually.&nbsp;The policy extends beyond items restricted by U.S. rules and is already nudging firms toward domestic suppliers such as Naura.The strategy has helped fuel momentum across China’s semiconductor ecosystem, from foundries and equipment makers to AI chip designers, as companies adapt to a more closed global tech environment.<h2 class="st-heading-2">Xi Signals Confidence On Growth Path</h2>On Wednesday, Xi struck an upbeat note on the broader economy as well, saying China is likely to meet its growth target of around 5% and that there are indications that manufacturing is recovering.&nbsp;Notably, he downplayed external risks in his outlook on Wednesday, instead urging confidence before the 15th Five-Year Plan that kicks off in 2026.<h2 class="st-heading-2">How Did Stocktwits Users React?</h2>On Stocktwits, the S&amp;P 500 ETF (SPY) showed ‘neutral’ sentiment amid ‘normal’ message volume, while the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) reflected ‘bullish’ sentiment with ‘normal’ message volume.In contrast, the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (DIA) and the iShares MSCI China ETF (MCHI) both saw ‘bearish’ sentiment amid ‘low’ message volume.So far this year,&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/SPY">SPY</a> is up 19%,&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/QQQ">QQQ</a> has gained 22%, and&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/DIA">DIA</a> is higher by 15%, while&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MCHI">MCHI</a> has risen 32%, outperforming the other major ETFs.For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

Chinese President Xi Jinping attend the opening of the third session of the 14th Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC). (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Xi Talks Up China’s AI And Chip Path In New Year Speech As Demand Surges Despite Global Curbs: Report

Xi delivered the address as China approaches the end of its 14th Five-Year Plan and ahead of the start of the next planning cycle in 2026.

<ul class="summary-bullets"><li>According to the report, China aims for 100% domestic equipment in these plants.&nbsp;</li><li>China’s rule goes beyond tools on the U.S. export restrictions list, with companies being asked to use domestic equipment even in domains where imports from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Europe are available, as per the report.</li><li>The rule is reportedly yielding results, as per the report.</li></ul>China is reportedly making it compulsory for chipmakers in the country to ensure that at least half of their new capacity has domestically produced equipment.While there is no public documentation of the rule yet, Chinese chipmakers seeking state approval to build or expand their plants have been asked by local authorities to prove that a least 50% of their equipment is locally made, although they would prefer it to be higher, Reuters reported.Authorities are asking for procurement tenders as proof, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Applications that do not meet the requirements are typically rejected. According to the report, China aims for 100% domestic equipment in these plants.The move comes as China aims for a self-sufficient domestic semiconductor supply chain after the U.S. banned exports of advanced AI chips and semiconductor equipment to the Asian nation.<h2 class="st-heading-2">Beyond US Export Controls</h2>China’s mandate includes components beyond those on the U.S. export restrictions list. The move is a broader push to adopt domestic tools even in domains where imports from the U.S., Japan, South Korea, and Europe are available, as per the report.However, in instances where domestically developed equipment is not yet available, for example, in advanced chip production lines, the requirements are relaxed.<h2 class="st-heading-2">Early Signs Of Impact</h2>The rule is reportedly already yielding results, according to a source cited by Reuters. Before the rule, domestic companies like SMIC would prefer U.S. equipment over Chinese ones, but after the 2023 U.S export restrictions, Chinese companies had to pivot to work with domestic suppliers.Naura, one of the largest chip equipment manufacturers in China, is reportedly testing its etching tools, a critical tool in the chip manufacturing process, on a cutting-edge 7nm (nanometre) production line at Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation, according to two sources.One of the sources also believes that two or three major equipment manufacturers would eventually dominate the Chinese markets, and Naura would certainly be one of them. &nbsp;<h2 class="st-heading-2">Why US Markets Should Care</h2>The U.S. and China have been competing for technological dominance, with the battle intensifying in recent years. Despite the U.S. restricting the use of advanced AI technology by China, such as banning the export of Nvidia’s Blackwell chips to the country, there have been reports of Chinese companies gaining access to it through other means.Earlier this month, a Barron’s report <a href="https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/nvidia-blackwell-chips-reach-china-tencent-via-japanese-cloud-service-report/cLe0RYxREsH">said</a> that Tencent Holdings had allegedly gained access to Nvidia’s (NVDA) Blackwell chips through a Tokyo-based cloud service provider. Another report from The Information alleged that China’s tech behemoth DeepSeek had used the banned Blackwell chips to develop a new AI model.However, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been rallying to build a fully self-sufficient domestic semiconductor supply chain to boost the country’s technological dominance globally.U.S. chipmaker <a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/NVDA">Nvidia</a> (NVDA) shares have gained over 36% in the past year, while <a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/AMD">Advanced Micro Devices</a> (AMD) shares have risen over 76%. The <a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/SOXX">iShares Semiconductor ETF</a> (SOXX), an exchange-traded fund tracking the Philadelphia Semiconductor index, has climbed over 40% in the same period. Meanwhile, the <a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/MCHI">iShares MSCI China ETF</a> (MCHI) has gained over 28% in the last one year.For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com. &nbsp;

A robotic machine manufactures a semiconductor chip at a stall to show investors during The Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment Summit in Guwahati, India, on February 25, 2025. (Photo by David Talukdar/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

China Makes 50% Domestic Equipment Mandatory For New Semiconductor Plants: Report

Chinese chipmakers who have sought state approval to build or expand plants are being asked to prove capacity through tenders, according to a Reuters report. 

<ul class="summary-bullets"><li>According to a report by The Information, ByteDance currently has a large inventory of Nvidia AI chips it can’t use.</li><li>Chinese regulators have reportedly told the company it can’t use the chips in its new data centres.&nbsp;</li><li>The report adds to the growing narrative that China is pushing domestic chip alternatives over Nvidia’s.</li></ul>ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, was reportedly the largest Chinese buyer of Nvidia (NVDA) chips in 2025, but recent regulatory restrictions in China have left the company holding chips it can’t use.According to a&nbsp;<a class="st-link-external" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/china-slowly-surely-breaking-free-nvidia">report</a> from The Information, citing sources,&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/BYTEDANCE">ByteDance</a> purchased more Nvidia chips than any other Chinese firm last year. The report added that Bytedance did so as it was racing to secure computing power for its billion-plus user base amid fears that U.S. supply could be restricted under the Trump administration. However, instead of Washington, Beijing emerged as a blocker.&nbsp;<h2 class="st-heading-2">China Says Bytedance Can’t Use Nvidia Chips</h2>The report said Chinese regulators have recently prohibited the company from using Nvidia chips in newly built data centers. The move leaves Bytedance with a large inventory of high-end chips it cannot currently utilize, creating both operational and financial challenges.Simply put, Bytedance stockpiled Nvidia GPUs in anticipation of potential bottlenecks – and now it can’t use them. On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around Bytedance, which is not a publicly traded company, was in ‘extremely bullish’ territory, accompanied by ‘high’ levels of chatter.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/symbol/NVDA">Nvidia’s stock</a> edged 0.4% lower in pre-market trade. Retail sentiment around the AI bellwether also remained in ‘extremely bullish’ territory alongside ‘extremely high’ levels of chatter over the past day.&nbsp;<h2 class="st-heading-2">Beijing Pushes Domestic Chip Priorities</h2>The report comes after the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) reportedly told companies like ByteDance and Alibaba (BABA) in September to cease testing and ordering the RTX Pro 6000D chip, which Nvidia designed for the Chinese market.&nbsp;According to the report, China’s restrictions are part of a broader policy to reduce reliance on U.S. chips while prioritizing domestic options from companies such as Huawei and Cambricon Technologies.Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has lobbied to be able to sell advanced chips in China. According to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, negotiations between the U.S. and China include&nbsp; <a href="https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/equity/lutnick-says-nvidia-ceo-has-good-reasons-to-sell-ai-chips-to-china/cL5bX3UREQm">easing export licenses</a> for advanced AI hardware.Read also:&nbsp;<a href="https://stocktwits.com/news-articles/markets/cryptocurrency/bitcoin-xrp-ada-struggle-ahead-of-thanksgiving-analyst-warns-no-catalyst/cL53V2sREWP">Bitcoin, XRP, ADA Struggle Ahead Of Thanksgiving – Analyst Warns There’s No Clear Catalyst For Q4</a>For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

The ByteDance Building is in Shanghai, China, on December 8, 2020. (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Bytedance Reportedly Tops Chinese Nvidia Chip Buyers – But Now It Can't Use Them 

The TikTok-owned company stockpiled GPUs to prepare for potential U.S. supply restrictions.

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