https://hntrbrk.com/investigations/nvidia
CoreWeave illustrates how the mechanics work. In 2025, it disclosed a $6.3 billion order that obligates Nvidia to buy residual capacity CoreWeave can’t sell to other customers through April 2032.
Nvidia is also an investor in CoreWeave. At the start of 2026, Nvidia invested $2 billion in CoreWeave. OpenAI, another investee, also buys CoreWeave compute. To close the loop, OpenAI invested directly in CoreWeave.
The relationships can be mutually beneficial when business is booming. It helps Nvidia set up its own ecosystem in the event that the hyperscalers turn to competing chips. And it’s likely that Nvidia has some kind of revenue sharing agreement, meaning it will participate in the upside beyond the value of its equity. But if demand slows, the financing loop can be problematic. If a major customer cuts its spending with CoreWeave, that could not only hurt the value of Nvidia’s investment but also increase the amount of unused capacity Nvidia would have to buy, subject to the terms of the agreement.
[...]
SB Energy was supposed to go public this fall, but postponed its IPO amid pushback about the valuation it wanted and broader questions about data centers. Investors also questioned SB Energy’s reliance on OpenAI. Indeed, what’s striking about this is that OpenAI’s commitment reportedly wasn’t enough. The deal needed Nvidia’s backstop.
That shows the doubt that is increasingly creeping into the ecosystem, and how all roads lead back to Nvidia. If Nvidia is using its credibility to bridge what will turn out to be short-lived shakiness, it’s a smart move. It’ll seem less smart if the temporary wobble turns into a bigger rout.