Since 2026, NVIDIA has significantly accelerated its investment pace in the AI sector, committing over $40 billion to AI-related equity transactions in just the past few months. This includes a single $3 billion investment in OpenAI, a $3.2 billion investment in Corning, a manufacturer of glass substrates, and approximately $2.1 billion in the data center operator IREN. NVIDIA has already announced seven billion-dollar investments in public companies this year, extending its investment reach beyond computing chips to include foundational materials and infrastructure development. It has participated in approximately 24 private funding rounds this year. This strategy of transforming partners into “stakeholders” is enabling NVIDIA to evolve from a hardware supplier into a core capital force controlling the entire AI industry chain.
Author and source: AIBase
Since the beginning of 2026, global chip giant NVIDIA has significantly accelerated its investment pace in the field of artificial intelligence. Latest data shows that in just the first few months of this year, NVIDIA has committed over $40 billion to AI-related equity transactions. This remarkable investment not only underscores its dominant position in the AI ecosystem but also reflects the company’s ambition to deepen its presence across the supply chain through capital operations.
Heavily investing in OpenAI and diversifying across public markets.
The most notable investment in this year’s portfolio was a massive stake in OpenAI. NVIDIA invested $3 billion in a single transaction, further solidifying its strategic partnership with the leading AI lab.
In addition to supporting private giants, NVIDIA has also been highly active in public markets. Recently, the company announced seven billion-dollar investment agreements targeting publicly listed companies. Among them, Corning, a manufacturer of glass substrates, received a commitment of up to $3.2 billion, while data center operator IREN secured approximately $2.1 billion in funding. These moves indicate that NVIDIA is extending its reach beyond pure computing chips to include foundational materials and infrastructure development.
Deeply involved in startup sectors, investment strategy sparks controversy over "circular trading"
At the startup level, NVIDIA’s presence remains strong. Following its participation in 67 venture capital deals in 2025, it has already taken part in approximately 24 private funding rounds this year. However, this deep involvement has drawn scrutiny from market analysts.
Some observers note that since many of NVIDIA’s invested companies are already customers of its chips, this model exhibits clear characteristics of "circular investment." Critics argue that capital flowing between affiliated companies may create bubbles, but financial analysts also point out that if these strategies take root, they could help NVIDIA build an insurmountable competitive moat. By turning partners into “stakeholders,” NVIDIA is transforming from a hardware supplier into a dominant capital force controlling the entire AI value chain.