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European AI Firm Nebius Raises $700M with Nvidia, Accel

2024-12-02

Nebius, a publicly-traded European AI infrastructure firm previously named Yandex N.V., has successfully raised $700 million to drive its growth in the United States. This significant financial boost comes from a group of “dozens of very well known investors,” as stated by Nebius CEO Arkady Volozh during a press briefing today. While the identities of all the investors will be disclosed upon filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), three names have been made public for now: existing partner and GPU giant Nvidia, Silicon Valley VC firm Accel, and asset manager Orbis.

Private Placement and Stock Details

Under the private placement, Nebius will issue 33.3 million Class A shares at $21 each, representing a 3% premium on the stock's average price since trading resumed in October. This move comes approximately six weeks after Nebius re-entered trading on the Nasdaq following a nearly three-year hiatus due to sanctions against Russia-affiliated companies. The Netherlands-based business, which was formerly the holding company of “the Google of Russia,” Yandex, emerged as Nebius in July with the aim of providing “full stack” infrastructure for AI companies.In addition to its core cloud infrastructure business, Nebius operates several other ventures. These include Texas-based autonomous vehicle company Avride, a Netherlands-based generative AI and LLM company called Toloka, and an edtech platform named TripleTen based in Wyoming.

Hybrid Growth Approach

Nebius is adopting a hybrid strategy to expand its presence. This involves a combination of co-location facilities (shared data centers) and the construction of its own “greenfield” sites from scratch. However, this expansion comes at a cost, which is why the company is now seeking additional funding. While competing with traditional cloud hyperscalers, Nebius also faces competition from well-funded private players like CoreWeave, which has Nvidia as an investor. CoreWeave is expanding from the U.S. to Europe, while Nebius is moving in the opposite direction, recently announcing plans for a new GPU cluster at a co-location in Kansas City. Nebius has also added a co-location site in Paris to its portfolio and plans to triple the capacity of its flagship data center in Finland.After selling its Russian assets earlier this year, Nebius had around $2.2 billion in reserves. A portion of this was set aside for a buy-back program in case existing investors wanted to exit. The offer allowed for the repurchase of up to 81 million Class A shares at a maximum of $10.5 per share. However, in the six weeks since re-entering the public markets, Nebius's shares have been hovering around the $21 mark, providing existing shareholders with the opportunity to sell at a higher price than the buy-back offer. As a result, Nebius believes the buy-back offer is no longer necessary, freeing up more capital for its data center expansion.With approximately $3 billion at its disposal, Nebius is looking to raise more capital, whether through equity or debt. CEO Arkady Volozh emphasizes that while the company will generate some revenues to support its growth, it will still require significant additional capital to build infrastructure at a faster pace. “Technology and capital are two key components of this business. I am not concerned about the technology side, and I believe we will be able to raise the necessary capital,” he said.It is also worth noting that this new financial position has led Nebius to revise its financial forecast. The company now expects to reach an annualized run rate (ARR) of $750 million to $1 billion by the end of 2025, an increase from its previous forecast of between $500 million and $1 billion.As part of the deal, Accel partner Matt Weigand will join Nebius's board of directors. Initially, he will have observer status until he is formally elected at the company's annual shareholder meeting in 2025.

Intel has made significant leadership changes with the retirement of CEO Pat Gelsinger. This move comes as the company faces various challenges and undergoes a period of transition. Gelsinger's tenure at Intel has been marked by both achievements and setbacks.

Intel's Leadership Transition and Challenges

Intel's CEO Retirement and Succession Plan

Intel has announced that CEO Pat Gelsinger will retire effective December 1 and step down from the company's board of directors. This decision marks the end of an era for Intel. David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus have been named interim co-CEOs. Zinsner holds the position of CFO, while Holthaus is the GM of Intel's client computing group. Holthaus has also been appointed to the newly created position of CEO of Intel Products, overseeing various business divisions. Frank Yeary, the independent chair of the Intel board, will serve as interim executive chair during the transition period. The Intel board has formed a search committee to find a permanent successor to Gelsinger.Intel's Foundry leadership will remain unchanged, focusing on chip design and manufacturing. This decision aims to ensure the continuity of key operations while the company navigates through the leadership transition.

Gelsinger's Impressive Career at Intel

Gelsinger first joined Intel at the age of 18 after earning an associate's degree from Lincoln Tech. He played a crucial role as the lead architect of Intel's 4th generation 80486 processor introduced in 1989. At just 32 years old, he became the youngest VP in the company's history.Over the years, Gelsinger held various leadership positions at Intel. He became Intel's CTO in 2001 and led key tech developments including Wi-Fi, USB, and the Intel Core and Xeon chip lines. His contributions have had a significant impact on the company's technological advancements.However, Gelsinger's recent tenure at Intel was not without challenges. He faced difficulties in delivering on his promises and encountered setbacks in several initiatives.

Intel's Challenges and Setbacks

Gelsinger reportedly offended TSMC by highlighting Taiwan's precarious relations with China, which led to Intel losing out on important discounts from the chip fabricator. He was overly optimistic about the capabilities of Intel's AI chips, such as Gaudi, in competing against products from incumbents like Nvidia. Additionally, his efforts to transform Intel into a chip manufacturer for other companies ran into technical problems.By early 2022, Intel's revenue from PC chips had dropped by 25%, and the company had lost ground in the data center chip market to rival AMD. A deal to supply chips to Waymo also fell through, and Intel missed out on potential clients like Sony for the next-gen PlayStation.In 2023, Intel's failed acquisition of Israeli company Tower Semiconductor for $5.4 billion was a major setback. Regulatory hurdles killed the proposal, and Intel had to pay a $353 million termination fee. The 18A manufacturing process for chips, intended to drive new business, became a liability as it failed to meet reliability expectations. Apple and Qualcomm reportedly passed on 18A, and Intel is not expected to start mass-producing chips with 18A until 2026.Despite these challenges, Intel took steps to spin off its foundry business into an independent subsidiary in early fall. This move was in line with shareholder demands and aimed to create a more focused and agile company.Intel's revenue shrunk to $54 billion in 2023, a significant decline from the year Gelsinger took over. The company has implemented cost-cutting measures, including slashing dividends and cutting more than 15,000 jobs in a $10 billion cost-reduction plan. It has also paused or delayed the construction of several chipmaking facilities.In October, Intel posted a $16.6 billion quarterly loss, the biggest in its 56-year history. Analysts predict the company will face an annual net loss for the first time since 1986.Intel continues to face challenges, as evidenced by the lukewarm reception to its latest consumer processors and the departure of semiconductor experts from the board. To turn things around, Intel is considering selling its autonomous driving arm Mobileye and its enterprise networking division. Qualcomm and other suitors have shown interest in a potential takeover.Despite the challenges, Intel's shares were up ~2.66% on the news of Gelsinger's departure. The company is now looking to move forward with a new leadership team and a focus on simplifying and strengthening its product portfolio.

XRP, a cryptocurrency with a unique story, has been making waves in the financial world. Its recent surge in price has attracted the attention of investors and traders alike. In this article, we will delve deep into the factors driving XRP's upward trajectory and explore its future prospects.

Uncover the Secrets Behind XRP's Price Surge

Why XRP is on a Steady Ascent

XRP has been on an impressive upward trend, recording six consecutive days of price increases. This sustained rally is fueled by a combination of legal victories, growing institutional interest, and a favorable market environment. The cryptocurrency has reached milestones not seen in years, highlighting its growing role in the market.According to the latest data from CoinMarketCap, on Monday, December 2, 2024, the price of XRP was $2.43. The intraday high reached $2.50, the highest level since 2018. Ripple's token now boasts a market capitalization of nearly $139 billion, making it the third-largest cryptocurrency.XRP's price increase since the beginning of the year is remarkable, with a nearly 300% growth. Over the past 30 days alone, its value has surged by 375%. Currently, it is climbing for the sixth consecutive trading session, adding over $1.10 (an 80% increase) during this period. The psychological level of $2 now serves as critical support, reinforcing its bullish momentum and providing a strong base for potential future gains.

Ripple's Legal Victory and Its Impact

Ripple has been engaged in a legal battle with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) since 2020. The SEC claimed that XRP was a security and accused Ripple of selling it without proper registration. However, in August 2024, Ripple scored a major win when a court ruled that XRP is not a security when traded on public exchanges. Although Ripple had to pay a $125 million fine for selling XRP directly to institutional investors, this partial victory boosted investor confidence in XRP.While the ruling was good news, the SEC is appealing the decision, and the court will review the case further in January 2025. Despite the uncertainty, many see this as a turning point for Ripple and XRP. The announcement of SEC Chair Gary Gensler's resignation, coinciding with President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, has raised expectations for a more crypto-friendly regulatory environment. Gensler's tenure was marked by stringent enforcement actions against major crypto exchanges.If Gensler and the SEC were rational, they would have moved on from this case long ago. It has not protected investors and has damaged the credibility and reputation of the SEC. Somehow, they still haven't gotten the message: they lost on everything.

The Growing Interest of Financial Institutions

Ripple has been working hard to position XRP as a tool for financial institutions. The XRP Ledger (XRPL) is being used for faster and cheaper cross-border payments, leading to growing adoption by banks and payment providers. Recently, there has been a push for a spot XRP Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF), which would allow institutions to invest in XRP more easily. Big financial firms are already preparing for this, showing strong interest in XRP.The chart below shows that the current aggregated open interest on XRP futures has hit record highs, indicating the increasing demand for XRP in the futures market.

Bullish Market Sentiment and Technical Factors

The overall cryptocurrency market has been performing well, with Bitcoin stabilizing around $97,000. This has created a positive environment for altcoins like XRP. Many investors are optimistic about the long-term future of Ripple and its partnerships.In November 2024, XRP's price rose by an incredible 364%, helping it reclaim its position as the third-largest cryptocurrency by market cap. XRP has also benefited from strong technical indicators, such as increased trading volume and a bullish Relative Strength Index (RSI). These signals show that investors are confident in XRP's growth.The recent price rally pushed XRP past several key resistance levels, further fueling its upward momentum. This has encouraged traders to bet on even higher prices.

Current Market Performance

As of December 2, 2024, XRP's performance is as follows:Metric: Current Price, Value: $2.43Metric: 24-Hour High, Value: $2.5Metric: 24-Hour Low, Value: $1.87Metric: Market Cap Rank, Value: 3rdMetric: November 2024 Growth, Value: +364%

What Sets XRP Apart

XRP stands out from other cryptocurrencies like Dogecoin, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. It is designed specifically for payments and is faster and cheaper to use. This makes it attractive for financial institutions looking to process international transactions efficiently.Ripple's partnerships with major banks have also set XRP apart. By leveraging the XRP Ledger, these institutions can save on costs and reduce transaction times. As more institutions adopt XRP, its value and utility continue to grow.

Long-Term Price Predictions for XRP

Experts have mixed opinions on XRP's future. Some believe XRP could reach new all-time highs in the next bull run, while others are cautious due to the ongoing SEC appeal and market volatility.Key XRP Price Prediction:Short-Term (2024–2025): Analysts expect XRP to remain above $2, especially if the SEC case is resolved positively.Long-Term (2025 and Beyond): If institutional adoption continues, XRP could climb to $5 or higher.XRP BULL RUN HAS STARTED!! $XRP WILL BE $973 by 2025! The XRP Price charts just reflected previous patterns exactly. If you do the TA this bull run XRP could reach almost $1000!On the technical chart, a significant bullish flag pattern formed; its range was broken, and it is now unfolding. The target for this pattern aligns with a level above $2.75.

Challenges and Risks for XRP Investors

While XRP's recent performance is promising, there are risks to consider:Regulatory Uncertainty: The SEC appeal could impact XRP's future. A negative ruling might hurt investor confidence.Market Volatility: Like all cryptocurrencies, XRP is subject to sudden price swings. Investors should be prepared for potential corrections.Competition: XRP faces competition from other blockchain solutions, including Ethereum and stablecoins like USDT.In conclusion, XRP's recent price surge has made it one of the most talked-about cryptocurrencies in 2024. Ripple's legal victory, institutional adoption, and positive market sentiment have all contributed to its growth. While the future looks bright, investors should stay cautious. Regulatory developments, market volatility, and competition remain key challenges. By staying informed, investors can make smarter decisions about XRP. Whether you're an experienced trader or new to crypto, XRP is a cryptocurrency worth watching. With its strong use case and growing adoption, XRP could play a big role in the future of global finance.