Billionaire investor Leo KoGuan, once known as one of Tesla’s largest individual shareholders, bought 1 million Nvidia shares in a single session for about $180 million. Bloomberg reported that the purchase was made on a day when Nvidia closed at $180.05. KoGuan later said on X that he intends to buy another 1 million shares soon.
A large purchase during a sharp market selloff
The trade came on a Tuesday marked by heavy pressure across Asian equities and rising fear in broader markets. According to the report, the 71-year-old investor placed the order before the close. On Wednesday, he posted on X: “I firmly believe AI is not a bubble. This is just the beginning.” He followed that by saying he planned to buy another million Nvidia shares as a show of support for a nervous market.
At Nvidia’s stated closing price, the initial purchase alone represented a commitment of roughly $180 million. His public plan to repeat the trade added to the visibility of the move and turned it into a clear statement on the AI sector rather than a routine portfolio adjustment.
From Tesla whale to an AI-focused position
KoGuan became widely known over the past several years through his large Tesla position. Born in Indonesia and now based in Singapore, he is the co-founder of enterprise software company SHI International Corp., which reported about $14 billion in revenue in 2023. He only began investing in stocks in 2019, yet quickly rose to become Tesla’s third-largest individual shareholder behind Elon Musk and Larry Ellison.
That stance shifted late last year, when he started reducing his Tesla holdings and moved into short-term U.S. Treasury bills as a defensive allocation. At the time, he also posted warnings on X about global conflict and the risk of a market crash. His Nvidia purchase now stands out as a direct and public commitment to the AI trade.
The AI bubble debate is still unresolved
The timing of the purchase has drawn attention. Nvidia shares had already retreated from highs reached earlier in the year as tensions in the Middle East increased and semiconductor stocks came under broad selling pressure. During the same week, South Korea’s KOSPI recorded its biggest two-day drop since 2008, adding to pressure on sentiment around AI-linked equities.
KoGuan’s move puts him firmly on one side of an argument that remains open. The report noted that the chairman of SK Hynix, a key Nvidia supplier, had warned that if AI investment fails to turn into real profit, the sector could face a bust similar to a gold rush collapse. For now, the clash between the AI bubble view and the AI supercycle thesis remains unsettled. Bloomberg’s billionaire index values KoGuan’s net worth at about $12.8 billion.