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Rumble Acquires Germany’s Northern Data in $767m All-Stock Deal, Expanding into AI Cloud Infrastructure

By
Samuel Nwite
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0

Rumble, the video platform best known for hosting U.S. President Donald Trump’s Truth Social, announced on Monday that it has reached an agreement to acquire German artificial intelligence cloud firm Northern Data in an all-stock deal valued at roughly $767 million.

The acquisition marks a major strategic shift for Rumble as it moves beyond its origins as a video-sharing and free-speech platform into the fast-growing field of AI cloud computing and data infrastructure.

Under the terms of the agreement, Northern Data shareholders will receive 2.0281 newly issued Class A Rumble shares for each Northern Data share they hold — representing a 12.99% discount to the German company’s closing price on Friday. Once completed, Northern Data shareholders will own about 30.4% of the combined entity. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026, after which Northern Data plans to delist from the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

The announcement triggered a strong market response, with Rumble shares surging more than 25% in premarket trading. The deal gives Rumble immediate access to Northern Data’s high-performance computing infrastructure, including its subsidiaries Taiga and Ardent, which specialize in large-scale GPU-based AI cloud services. These units are critical to supporting generative AI applications, machine learning models, and advanced data analytics — areas that have seen explosive demand globally.

Rumble’s entry into the AI infrastructure business comes as the company seeks to expand its revenue base and technological capacity. The firm’s partnership with Northern Data is also reinforced by the involvement of Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, which already owns 48% of Rumble, according to data compiled by LSEG.

As part of the agreement, Rumble secured a $150 million GPU-leasing deal with Tether, ensuring consistent demand for computing power while deepening its ties to the cryptocurrency sector. Tether will also serve as an anchor customer for the merged company, providing additional revenue stability.

Rumble has committed $200 million in tax liability support to Northern Data as part of the merger’s financial structure. The acquisition will also see Rumble gain control of approximately 22,400 Nvidia graphics processing units (GPUs) upon closing — a move that significantly boosts its AI processing capabilities. With Nvidia chips being the backbone of AI computation, the acquisition positions Rumble among a small group of companies with access to large-scale GPU infrastructure at a time when global demand for AI chips far exceeds supply.

This isn’t Rumble’s first attempt at acquiring Northern Data. In August, the company had proposed an initial offer of 2.319 shares for each Northern Data share, seeking control over its Taiga and Ardent divisions. However, that proposal was revised as the two sides renegotiated terms in response to shifting market valuations and Northern Data’s internal review of its business segments.

Northern Data, headquartered in Frankfurt, had withdrawn its annual forecast in October amid uncertainty in the GPU pricing market and rising operational costs. The company said it was exploring “strategic alternatives” at the time, including potential mergers or divestitures. It also confirmed that it would pay its shareholders $200 million in cash if it successfully completes the sale of its Corpus Christi data center before the Rumble transaction closes.

The acquisition marks an evolution from Rumble’s identity as a politically charged video platform to a diversified tech company with ambitions in artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure, and distributed computing. The deal comes at a time when AI-driven platforms are seeking to secure independent GPU resources rather than rely on U.S.-based hyperscalers such as Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud, or Microsoft Azure — all of which dominate the global AI hosting market.

Some analysts view the acquisition as a bold but risky bet. By tying its future to AI cloud infrastructure, Rumble is seen as positioning itself to capitalize on one of the fastest-growing sectors in technology. However, integration challenges, capital intensity, and competition from established players are expected to test the platform’s long-term viability.

Still, the acquisition underlines the convergence of three powerful industries: social media, cryptocurrency, and artificial intelligence. With backing from Tether, access to Nvidia hardware, and control of Northern Data’s data centers, Rumble’s new venture could serve as a foundation for an alternative ecosystem — one that blends AI computation, blockchain support, and decentralized media infrastructure under a single technology brand.

South Africa’s Start-up Ecosystem Quietly Leads Africa in Equity Funding

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0

South Africa has long been a steady force in Africa’s start-up landscape, and the funding numbers continue to back that up.

Since 2019, the country has consistently ranked among Africa’s “Big Four” start-up markets, standing out as one of the continent’s top destinations for venture funding.

In 2019, South African start-ups secured around $80 million across various funding types (excluding exits). Funding surged to $869 million in 2021, at the height of Africa’s tech funding boom, and has since stabilized at approximately $400 million annually. As of the end of October 2025, South African start-ups had already raised $484 million.

Despite the ecosystem’s maturity and vibrancy, the country has never claimed the number one spot in total funding volume, generally ranking third or fourth, except for a brief rise to second place in 2021. This ranking, however, obscures an important underlying reality. The majority of funding in South Africa, much like in Nigeria, comes from equity rather than debt.

From fintech to clean energy and deep tech, South African founders are securing a significant share of the continent’s equity funding, supported by a relatively mature investment environment, strong corporate participation, and a growing pipeline of globally competitive ventures.

According to a report by Africa: The Big Deal, since 2019, equity has accounted for 90% of the total funding raised in South Africa. For the third year in a row, the country is topping the charts for start-up equity funding on the continent.

By comparison, equity represents a smaller share of total funding in Egypt (76%) and Kenya (just 55%). This imbalance has become even more apparent since early 2024, when equity represented 92% of funding raised in South Africa and 86% in Nigeria, compared to two-thirds in Egypt and only a quarter in Kenya.

When focusing strictly on equity investment, South Africa’s position changes significantly. The country has been Africa’s leading market for equity funding since 2023. By the end of October 2025, South African start-ups accounted for 30% of all equity raised on the continent, despite representing only 2% of all debt financing.

With $449 million in equity secured so far this year, the market has already surpassed its totals from 2023 and 2024 and is on track to exceed 2022 levels as well. This figure is equal to the combined equity funding raised by Nigeria and Kenya or by Egypt and Kenya. Major equity rounds in 2025 have included those by hearX, Stitch, Naked, Wetility, Enko Education, Ctrack, and Paymenow, each securing more than $20 million.

South Africa is also the continent’s most active market for exits. Since 2019, it has recorded 56 exits, ahead of Egypt (48), Nigeria (34), and Kenya (24). Recent notable deals include Nedbank’s acquisition of iKhokha for approximately $93 million in August and Lesaka’s agreement to acquire Bank Zero for around $61 million in July.

Sector analysis further highlights South Africa’s strengths. The country leads the continent in funding within Healthcare, Telecom, Media & Entertainment, and Deeptech. It ranks second in Fintech, having raised $1.9 billion since 2019, compared to Nigeria’s $2.8 billion. In two of the continent’s other major sectors, Energy and Logistics & Transportation, South Africa ranks third and fourth, respectively.

Overall, while South Africa may not consistently top total funding charts, the data shows that it is a powerhouse of equity investment, exits, and sector leadership. The country’s ecosystem depth and maturity continue to position it as a central force driving Africa’s innovation economy.

Crypto Market Rebounds as U.S. Government Shutdown Nears End

By
Ojukwu Emmanuel
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0

The global crypto market began the week with cautious optimism following a quiet period of weekend consolidation.

Bitcoin (BTC) reclaimed key resistance near $106,000, while Ethereum (ETH) surged past $3,600, helping to renew bullish sentiment across digital asset markets.

Bitcoin rebounded overnight, climbing as much as 5% during the Asian trading session on Monday as traders targeted sell-side liquidity. The crypto asset is currently trading at $106,242 at the time of writing this report, after it had earlier plunged below $100,000 last week.

The recent surge follows expectations that the U.S. government shutdown would soon come to an end, thereby improving the broader risk environment. It is understood that during the shutdown, the U.S. economy reportedly lost nearly $85 billion in productivity and spending, federal data releases were paused, and an estimated 1.6 million government employees went without pay.

Over the weekend, lawmakers took a critical step toward resolving the standoff. A minority of Democrats joined Republicans in a procedural vote to advance a funding compromise, enabling government operations to restart.

President Donald Trump also announced that most Americans would receive a $2,000 “dividend” from tariff revenue, helping spark a late-weekend improvement in market sentiment. With salaries expected to resume on Friday and key agencies including the Bureau of Labor Statistics set to return to publishing data, investors are hopeful that financial markets will gain clearer direction in the coming days.

Trading Volumes Rise

Trading volumes on major exchanges have begun to rise as investors position for the week ahead, supported by positive ETF flow signals and relatively stable macro conditions. Analyst Shanaka Anslem Perera suggested that the reopening of government operations could inject fresh liquidity into both traditional and crypto markets, potentially driving Bitcoin toward $112,000 and lifting the S&P 500 by roughly 2%. Growth in gold prices and money supply (M2) is also expected to reinforce this momentum.

Despite occasional ETF outflows, institutional interest in Bitcoin remains resilient. Earlier this month, global crypto ETFs recorded nearly $6 billion in net inflows. Meanwhile, Strategy, a publicly traded business intelligence firm, recently added 487 Bitcoin to its treasury last week at an average price of $102,557 per coin, totaling $49.9 million. The purchase continues the company’s long-standing strategy of accumulating Bitcoin through stock-funded acquisitions, reinforcing its position among the largest corporate Bitcoin holders.

Altcoins Market Records Gains

The altcoin market displayed mixed performance. Solana (SOL) rose roughly 6.6% to around $167, supported by increased DeFi activity and wallet growth. Avalanche (AVAX) and Toncoin (TON) posted moderate gains, while Cardano (ADA) and Polygon (MATIC) remained largely stable.

XRP and Hyperliquid rallied more than 7%, and BNB reclaimed levels above $1,000. However, market breadth remains narrow, indicating that capital flows are still concentrated in large-cap assets. The total crypto market capitalization climbed above $3.5 trillion, with Bitcoin dominance near 59%.

Overall market sentiment remains cautious, and the altcoin season index currently sits at 33, suggesting that Bitcoin continues to hold the majority influence over market direction.

Outlook

Although signs of recovery are emerging, traders are closely watching whether rising volumes will translate into a sustained upward trend across the market. Several analysts expect volatility to remain contained ahead of midweek macro data and potential ETF inflow updates.

Trump AI Chief David Sacks Rules Out Federal Bailout for AI Firms as OpenAI Clarifies Infrastructure Funding Remarks

By
Samuel Nwite
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0

Venture capitalist David Sacks, who serves as President Donald Trump’s artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency czar, said Thursday that the administration has no plans to provide a federal bailout for AI companies, even as OpenAI continues to push for policy incentives to support its massive infrastructure expansion.

“The U.S. has at least 5 major frontier model companies. If one fails, others will take its place,” Sacks wrote on X, emphasizing that the government will not intervene to rescue any private AI firms that run into financial trouble.

His comments came amid growing debate over whether Washington should offer broader financial support for AI infrastructure development—especially as AI giants such as OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and Meta face escalating hardware costs tied to data centers and advanced chips.

Sacks’ statement followed remarks by OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar, who on Wednesday suggested that the company hoped to build an “ecosystem” of private equity, banks, and potentially a federal “backstop” or “guarantee” to help fund its planned $1.4 trillion investment in AI infrastructure over the next eight years. The proposal drew immediate scrutiny, with some critics interpreting it as a call for government underwriting of OpenAI’s operations.

Friar later clarified her comments in a LinkedIn post, saying that OpenAI was not seeking a government backstop for its investments. She explained that her use of the term “backstop” was misunderstood.

“As the full clip of my answer shows, I was making the point that American strength in technology will come from building real industrial capacity, which requires the private sector and government playing their part,” Friar wrote.

OpenAI also directed reporters to Friar’s clarification post when asked for comment.

Sacks’ rejection of a bailout aligns with the Trump administration’s broader stance on reducing government intervention in private enterprise, though he acknowledged that the government intends to play a facilitative role in easing regulatory bottlenecks.

The Trump administration is understood to only want to make permitting and power generation easier, with the goal of facilitating rapid infrastructure buildouts without raising residential electricity rates.

Sacks also struck a conciliatory tone toward OpenAI, suggesting that the misunderstanding may have stemmed from semantics rather than intent.

“To give benefit of the doubt, I don’t think anyone was actually asking for a bailout. (That would be ridiculous.),” he said.

The exchange underscores a growing tension between Silicon Valley’s ambitions to expand AI capacity and Washington’s cautious approach to financial risk and industrial subsidies. OpenAI’s push for an expanded Advanced Manufacturing Investment Credit (AMIC) under the Chips Act—which would include AI data centers, server production, and grid components—reflects its strategy to incentivize private-sector investment without direct federal bailouts.

The company’s infrastructure plans, including major investments in U.S.-based data centers and chip development, have become part of a wider national conversation about technological competitiveness. President Trump’s administration has signaled interest in bolstering domestic energy and manufacturing capacity to support AI growth, but remains resistant to direct corporate rescues or cash infusions.

Now, policymakers face the challenge of balancing the need for innovation with fiscal restraint as the debate over AI financing intensifies. The U.S. now leads the world in the number of large-scale AI model developers, and the administration’s stance suggests that competition—not government guarantees—will determine which firms ultimately endure.

What to Know Before Getting a PCP Car Finance in Birmingham

By
TI Partners
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0

Getting PCP car finance in Birmingham can be a smart way to drive a newer or better car without paying the full price upfront. This type of deal is designed for flexibility, affordability, and convenience, which makes it a popular choice for many drivers.

Before you sign, it’s worth knowing how it works and what key details can affect your experience with a car loan in Birmingham. Continue reading to understand the essentials before starting your car finance journey.

How PCP Works

With a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP), you’ll pay an initial deposit, followed by fixed monthly payments that usually last between two and six years. These payments cover the car’s depreciation rather than its total cost, so you’re paying for the car’s value while you use it, not its full price.

If you’re comparing finance options in Birmingham, a personal contract purchase car loan often suits those who want freedom to upgrade or avoid long-term ownership commitments.

End-of-Agreement Choices

Your end-of-term decision is one of the main benefits of PCP. At the end of the term, you’ll face three options: 

  1. Pay the final balloon payment to own the car
  2. Return it to the lender
  3. Trade it in for a new model

This setup gives you flexibility to switch cars easily and keep your monthly budget manageable.

Many drivers choose the part-exchange option, especially when upgrading to a newer or electric vehicle. It keeps things simple and lets you stay up to date with the latest features and technology.

Managing Monthly Costs

Because PCP payments are based on the car’s depreciation, they’re usually lower than Hire Purchase (HP) payments. This makes it easier to drive a newer car without getting into an HP deal you can’t afford.

Just remember that a longer contract can reduce your monthly costs but increase the total interest paid.

Before applying, it’s sensible to use a car finance calculator to check what your payments might look like. That way, you can plan ahead and avoid surprises later.

Mileage and Condition Requirements

Mileage limits are part of every PCP deal. If you exceed the agreed annual limit, you may face extra charges at the end of your contract. Estimating your typical driving distance accurately can help you avoid these fees.

So, open a map of Birmingham and put in some of the locations you’ll drive to the most. Estimate how many times a month you’re likely to make the trips and add it all up. Of course, it’s advisable to factor in a healthy margin, in case a longer journey comes up unexpectedly.

The car’s condition is also important. You’ll need to return it in good condition with fair wear and tear. Significant damage, scratches, or interior marks could lead to repair costs, so it’s advisable to take good care of the vehicle throughout the term.

Interest, Fees, and Early Settlements

The interest rate you receive will affect the total amount you pay. It’s always worth checking your annual percentage rate, or APR, to understand the full cost of borrowing. Longer terms may look cheaper each month, but you’ll usually pay more in the end.

If you decide to end the agreement early, tools like an Early Settlement Calculator can help you see what you’d owe. Some lenders charge a small fee for early termination, so check this before committing.

Final Message

PCP car finance in Birmingham, and around the country, offers flexibility, control, and affordability for drivers who want regular upgrades or manageable payments. By understanding the contract terms, checking your mileage, and knowing your end-of-term options, you’ll avoid hidden costs and make confident financial decisions.

With the right preparation, PCP can give you the balance between cost and convenience that many drivers in Birmingham are looking for. Taking time to understand these details ensures that your finance plan will fit your lifestyle perfectly.

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