Alice Huang: The woman linked to Jensen Huang in a US-China spy controversy

Explore how Alice Huang's Megaspeed ties, alleged China intelligence links and relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang drew US scrutiny.

Huang came into major focus in October 2025, when The New York Times reported that Megaspeed International, a Singapore-based cloud computing company in which she held a controlling stake, was under US investigation. Authorities suspected that the company was helping Chinese customers obtain advanced Nvidia chips restricted under Washington's export controls.

Her name gained much more attention after The New York Times reported that US intelligence officials believed she was working for Chinese intelligence and had developed a close relationship with Jensen Huang to gather information about the American AI chip industry. China has denied these claims, calling them 'smear campaign'.

From banking to investment management

According to Reuters, there is little publicly available information about Alice Huang's early life. However, financial records, company filings and other documents reviewed by Reuters provide details of her professional background.

Chinese financial publication Caixin has reported that Huang is about 42 years old. Records from China's fund industry and a profile on private-fund database Simuwang list her previous experience in banking, investment management and television journalism.

Before joining Megaspeed, Huang held senior positions at Shanghai Hexi Investment Management, a Chinese investment firm.

According to posts on Hexi's official WeChat account between 2016 and 2017 reviewed by Reuters, she served as the company's deputy general manager, executive director and a member of its investment decision committee.

The posts also said she had previously worked at HSBC's private bank in Hong Kong and at CITIC Securities.

A business card reviewed by Reuters identified Huang as a partner and general manager at Hexi. The card listed an office in Shanghai's Lujiazui financial district.

Reuters visited the address and found the office undergoing renovation, with no company signage or staff present. Calls to the number on the card went unanswered, and an email address listed on it could not receive messages.

Her entry into the AI chip business

Huang later moved into the cloud computing industry through Megaspeed International, a company based in Singapore.

According to Washington-based research group C4ADS, which reviewed corporate records, Huang became Megaspeed's controlling shareholder in March 2023.

The company was incorporated in Singapore in 2015 as 7Road International. It provides cloud computing services and describes itself on its website as an Nvidia business partner in the Asia-Pacific region.

C4ADS said Huang also served as a director and managing director of Megaspeed's Indonesian subsidiary between March and November 2023.

Megaspeed's ownership changed later that year. According to C4ADS, its shares were transferred to Singapore-based SwiftData in late 2023. SwiftData holds all 10 million ordinary shares in Megaspeed.

C4ADS said it could not establish who ultimately controls SwiftData. However, the research group believes Huang may have continued to influence Megaspeed after the transfer, citing instances in which she was identified as the company's chair.

Why US authorities are investigating Megaspeed

Megaspeed attracted the attention of US authorities over suspicions that it was helping Chinese companies access advanced Nvidia chips despite Washington's export restrictions.

The New York Times first reported the US investigation in October 2025. The investigation is part of wider American efforts to prevent China from accessing advanced semiconductor technology that could strengthen its AI capabilities.

Megaspeed is among several Southeast Asian companies that buy advanced chips, set up computing facilities and rent computing power to customers, including businesses in China.

Shipping records from trade-data provider ImportGenius reviewed by Reuters show that Megaspeed's Indonesian subsidiary imported Nvidia hardware between 2024 and 2026. The shipments included H100 processors and related components from suppliers such as Giga Computing, a subsidiary of Taiwanese manufacturer Gigabyte.

The H100 is one of Nvidia's advanced processors restricted from export to China. However, the shipments to Indonesia do not by themselves establish that Megaspeed violated US export controls.

The New York Times also reported that Singapore had questioned Huang during its investigation into the company but later released her.

There has been no public finding that Megaspeed violated US export restrictions. Nvidia has previously said it reviewed the company and found no reason for concern.

How she became linked to Jensen Huang

Alice Huang's reported association with Jensen Huang has brought further attention to her business activities. The two were seen together at industry events in Taipei in 2024 and 2025.

A person who attended a party hosted by Taiwanese server manufacturer Gigabyte during the 2024 Computex technology trade show told Reuters that both Huangs were present. A photograph posted on LinkedIn also showed them seated next to each other.

In May 2025, the two were seen together again at a dinner hosted by Jensen Huang in Taipei during Computex.

Footage of the dinner, reported by The Guardian, showed Jensen Huang putting his arm around Alice Huang as she kissed him on the cheek. The two were later seen leaving the restaurant in the same car.

Reuters reviewed footage from the May 22 dinner and identified Alice Huang by comparing her appearance with a photograph obtained separately.

The New York Times reported, citing people briefed on US intelligence assessments, that officials believed Alice Huang had been recruited by Chinese intelligence to gather information about American AI chips. The report said the alleged effort also involved trying to persuade Nvidia to support making its advanced chips available to China.

The Financial Times reported on Saturday, citing people who had seen a US government memo, that officials believed the two had been romantically involved.

A New York-based short-selling firm, Culper Research, had raised concerns about their relationship months earlier. The Guardian reported that the firm had questioned how close the two had become.

The Guardian also cited a statement attributed to a Megaspeed employee in May, who said Alice Huang was still the company's boss despite reports that its ownership had changed. The exact nature of the relationship between the two and when they first met remain unclear.

Nvidia launches an independent investigation

The reports have raised questions about whether Jensen Huang's association with Alice Huang could have exposed Nvidia's business information or US national security interests to risk.

On November 8, Nvidia's board announced an independent investigation into the reports. The inquiry will be led by a committee of independent directors and supported by outside legal counsel.

In its statement, the board said it had no reason to believe that US national security information or Nvidia's trade secrets had been compromised. However, it said the investigation would examine all available information.

Nvidia has also said that its CEO meets thousands of customer executives every year. The company said its cloud customers in Asia receive regular business information, not trade secrets or information related to US national security.

US lawmakers have also sought answers from Jensen Huang. Questions include whether he knew about the alleged intelligence activity and whether any sensitive information was shared.

George Chen, a partner at consultancy The Asia Group, told Reuters that Jensen Huang could also be considered a potential victim if he had been deliberately targeted or manipulated without knowing the woman's identity or intentions.

Jensen Huang apologises to his family and employees

The controversy has also brought Jensen Huang's personal life into focus. In an email to Nvidia employees on November 8, the CEO admitted that he had been unfaithful to his wife and apologised to his family.

According to Axios, which reported on the email, Huang accepted responsibility for his actions and said they had hurt his wife and children.

He also apologised to Nvidia employees, board members, business partners and shareholders, saying that his actions had affected their trust in him.

Although he did not name Alice Huang, he said he would cooperate with the investigation into the national security concerns raised in media reports.

Huang, who co-founded Nvidia in 1993, said he remained committed to leading the company and protecting its interests.

US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the FBI was also looking into the matter. He said he had spoken to Jensen Huang, who told him that he had no idea the woman was a spy.

Trump also said he was amazed by the allegations involving the Nvidia CEO, whom he considers one of his close allies in Silicon Valley.