A $180 million bet on artificial intelligence hardware marks a pivot for one of Tesla's largest individual shareholders. Billionaire Leo KoGuan disclosed he purchased one million Nvidia shares earlier this week, signaling a major shift away from his historically concentrated Tesla position.
The founder of global IT solutions firm SHI International announced the acquisition on X, stating he bought the shares "last night" and plans to purchase another million in the near future to support what he called "the nervous market". At Tuesday's closing price of $180.05 per share, the initial purchase represents approximately $180 million.
KoGuan framed his move as a conviction play on artificial intelligence infrastructure rather than a retreat from electric vehicles.
"I am convinced AI is NOT a bubble, it is only the beginning,"
he wrote in his social media announcement detailing the transaction.
He described Nvidia as "the foundational layer" enabling AI development while characterizing Tesla as "embodied physical AI." The billionaire investor gained prominence as one of Tesla's most significant individual shareholders, at one point holding over 200 million shares and ranking as the company's third-largest retail investor according to public disclosures.
His estimated $8.7 billion fortune stems primarily from his technology distribution business and long-term Tesla holdings.
KoGuan's portfolio reallocation follows months of diversification into short-term U.S. Treasury bills, which he described as protective positioning against potential market disruptions reminiscent of historical crashes. The move toward Nvidia represents his most substantial public investment outside Tesla since beginning that diversification strategy.
Market reaction to KoGuan's announcement proved mixed despite its scale. Nvidia shares declined approximately 1.5% following disclosure of the purchase according to trading data, continuing a trend that has seen the stock drop more than 2% year-to-date through early March 2026.
The billionaire's confidence contrasts with other high-profile investors who have reduced exposure to AI-related stocks. Peter Thiel's investment firm exited all Nvidia positions in its latest regulatory filing citing concerns about potential overvaluation in artificial intelligence infrastructure companies.
Nvidia reported record fiscal 2026 revenue of approximately $216 billion driven by a 68% surge in data center sales according to company financial statements. Strong demand for AI processing hardware fueled net income growth of 65% to $120 billion during the period.
KoGuan told Bloomberg he intends to purchase an additional one million Nvidia shares soon, framing the planned acquisition as market support rather than purely speculative positioning in comments to financial media. His combined purchases would represent approximately $360 million invested in the chipmaker within weeks.
