Investment

Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX are reportedly investing in TikTok’s U.S. operations, holding a combined 45% stake. ByteDance will retain 19.9%, with the remaining 35% distributed among existing and potentially new investors. This deal aims to address U.S. national security concerns that led to the divestiture mandate. The new TikTok USA will have a majority-American board, with Oracle overseeing security. The U.S. government will not take an equity stake. Existing ByteDance investors like Susquehanna and General Atlantic are expected to invest further.

Nvidia’s substantial investment in OpenAI, potentially reaching $100 billion, focuses on AI supercomputing with the first deployment in late 2026. A key aspect is OpenAI’s strategy to lease Nvidia’s GPUs, optimizing capital expenditure and shifting financial burden. OpenAI aims to address compute scarcity, financed partly through Nvidia’s equity and Oracle’s balance sheets. Analysts highlight potential interdependencies and question the generation of tangible assets, while Altman emphasizes focusing on real demand and revenue from services.

Nvidia is investing $100B into OpenAI to build AI-powered data centers demanding 10 gigawatts. This requires millions of Nvidia GPUs, doubling their output. The first $10B unlocks with the first gigawatt completed. Nvidia’s stock surged, reflecting the collaboration’s strategic importance. OpenAI aims to scale infrastructure for 700M weekly users, driving AI research and product development. While Nvidia remains the preferred supplier, competition in AI chips is growing. The partnership strengthens Nvidia’s dominance in the AI landscape and is “additive” to prior financial commitments.

Nvidia and Intel are collaborating in a $5 billion deal, merging Intel’s CPUs and Nvidia’s GPUs for AI systems in data centers and PCs. Nvidia’s Huang and Intel’s Tan initiated discussions nearly a year ago. Nvidia will integrate Intel’s CPUs into its AI supercomputers, while Intel will incorporate Nvidia’s GPUs into PCs. The deal, finalized shortly before its announcement, leverages Intel’s packaging technology and aims at a $50 billion market. This reflects Nvidia’s AI dominance and Intel’s restructuring efforts, including cost reductions and fundraising.

Kevin Durant’s forgotten Coinbase account, containing Bitcoin purchased in 2016, has become a surprisingly profitable investment due to the cryptocurrency’s surge in value. Agent Rich Kleiman revealed that Durant’s team has been unable to access the account due to a forgotten password, leading to an unintentional “hodl” strategy. While Bitcoin’s value has skyrocketed by over 11,000% since Durant’s initial investment, the situation highlights the challenges of digital asset management and account recovery, even for prominent figures. Durant and Kleiman are also investors in Coinbase Global and have a partnership with the platform.

Nvidia and OpenAI are reportedly in talks to invest billions in UK AI infrastructure, collaborating with cloud firm Nscale. An announcement could coincide with President Trump’s UK visit. This reflects a global trend of nations seeking partnerships with US AI leaders for “sovereign AI” development. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang previously praised the UK as an investment hub. The investment aims to diversify geographic presence and capitalize on AI demand while providing OpenAI access to talent and a supportive regulatory environment.

The UK’s AI sector is experiencing explosive growth, outpacing the broader economy significantly since 2022. Revenues reached £23.9 billion fueled by over 5,800 AI companies, a 58% increase since 2023, largely driven by SMEs. This growth has attracted substantial investment (£15 billion) and boosted employment. While London dominates, AI activity is spreading regionally. Key challenges include securing late-stage funding, addressing the talent gap and establishing clear regulations to maintain global competitiveness in this rapidly evolving field.

BlackRock Inc. has increased its stake in Freedom Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: FRHC) to 0.85%, valued at approximately $89 million, making them the second-largest shareholder. This investment reflects a growing confidence in Freedom Holding, also shared by other institutional investors like State Street Corp. Freedom Holding operates in 22 countries, providing a financial and digital ecosystem including Freedom Bank and Freedom Broker. Freedom Holding’s CEO, Timur Turlov, views this as validation of their business model and strategic value.

Intel received a $5.7 billion U.S. government investment as part of a White House initiative taking a 10% equity stake. CFO David Zinsner also suggested exploring outside investment for Intel’s foundry business, a key growth area. While Q2 results beat expectations, shares dropped due to foundry capital intensity concerns. Intel cautioned that the deal could face “adverse reactions” from stakeholders, including investors and foreign governments, and increased scrutiny. The White House acknowledges the deal is still being finalized.

Saudi Arabia, through Humain, aims to become a global AI leader, rivaling the US and China, by leveraging its resources for data centers. Backed by the PIF, Humain is investing heavily in AI infrastructure, partnering with Nvidia and AMD, with plans to build massive data centers. The Kingdom faces challenges including competition from the UAE, talent acquisition, and economic feasibility. While significant investments are being made, questions remain about attracting and retaining AI engineers and long-term environmental impacts of large-scale data center operations.