Fears of an AI investment bubble were somewhat eased following Nvidia's impressive third-quarter earnings report and optimistic fourth-quarter outlook, announced after the close of U.S. markets on Wednesday. The chipmaker delivered revenue of $57.01 billion, marking a staggering 62% increase from the same period last year, driven by robust demand for its AI-focused GPUs amid the ongoing AI investment boom. CEO Jensen Huang highlighted the exceptional sales of Nvidia's Blackwell chips and the complete sell-out of cloud GPUs, underscoring the exponential growth in compute demand both for AI training and inference workloads. Following the announcement, Nvidia's shares rose by 4% in after-hours trading, reflecting renewed investor confidence.

Nvidia's data center division, a critical revenue source, reported $51.2 billion, surpassing analyst expectations of $49.34 billion. The company’s strong guidance anticipates fourth-quarter revenues between $63.7 billion and $66.3 billion, comfortably above Wall Street’s forecast of $62 billion, reinforcing Nvidia's dominant position in the AI supply chain. Its GPUs are instrumental in powering large language models, running machine-learning workloads, and supporting data centres across major technology companies. The firm’s market valuation now stands above $3 trillion, securing its place as the second-largest company on Wall Street and accounting for roughly 8% of the S&P 500 index. Industry analysts have lauded Nvidia as a key beneficiary of generative AI adoption, with some predicting the company is entering a 'Golden Wave' of AI-driven growth which could sustain long-term earnings momentum.

The wider tech sector appears buoyed by Nvidia’s success, with shares in AI-related cryptocurrencies and bitcoin mining firms pivoting to AI showing gains. Bitcoin briefly climbed back above $90,000 after dipping below $88,000 earlier in the day, illustrating a positive, if cautious, reaction from crypto markets. Tokens closely linked to AI, such as TAO, Near Protocol, ICP, and RNDR, posted increases of 4-5% following the earnings release. Similarly, bitcoin mining companies transitioning to AI infrastructure, including IREN, Cipher Mining, and Hut 8 Mining, experienced notable stock uplifts ranging from 6% to 11%. These market movements underscore the interconnected yet distinct dynamics between the cryptocurrency and AI sectors, with firms seeking to capitalise on Nvidia’s technology for AI data mining and computing.

One prominent example of this strategic pivot is Bitfarm, a major Bitcoin mining company that announced plans to fully shift from crypto mining to AI data centre operations by 2027. The firm reported a $46 million net loss in Q3 2025 amid the volatile crypto market and challenges with underperforming mining rigs. Bitfarm intends to leverage its 341-megawatt energy capacity by repurposing its existing infrastructure to deploy Nvidia GB300 servers with advanced liquid cooling, aiming to generate returns that could surpass previous bitcoin mining profits. The company’s expansion plans include using a converted $300 million debt facility to develop a large AI data centre in Pennsylvania, adding capacity to an already substantial energy pipeline. However, this transition carries significant risks, especially given concerns around a potential AI bubble that could threaten the stability of companies making heavy AI infrastructure investments.

Despite Nvidia's breakpoint financial performance, some headwinds remain, notably geopolitical risks. U.S. export restrictions on certain Nvidia chips, particularly H20 models, impede sales to China, stranding $180 million in inventory and exposing vulnerabilities due to the company's reliance on a narrow client base. This spurred a modest decline in Nvidia’s after-hours stock at one point and highlighted ongoing challenges in balancing rapid growth with regulatory hurdles. These geopolitical factors also impact broader markets, contributing to volatility spikes in assets like Bitcoin even as markets attempt to digest Nvidia's earnings news. The decoupling of crypto market dynamics from AI-related tech stocks is becoming more pronounced, as institutional adoption and market maturation render cryptocurrencies less susceptible to tech sector shocks.

Meanwhile, competition in the AI chip market is intensifying. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Nvidia’s primary rival, has projected an ambitious growth trajectory, expecting data center chip revenue to reach $100 billion annually and overall earnings to more than triple by 2030. AMD’s CEO Lisa Su emphasised the company’s positioning in the high-growth AI sector, with a multiyear deal with OpenAI expected to deliver substantial revenue. AMD’s plans include introducing the MI400 AI chip series in 2026 and expanding its AI ecosystem through strategic acquisitions. Such developments signal that while Nvidia currently leads the AI hardware market, the competitive landscape remains dynamic, with significant growth potential across the board.

In summary, Nvidia’s latest financial results have reinforced its critical role in powering the AI revolution while temporarily calming fears of an overheated AI investment market. Its strong revenue growth, robust data center performance, and bullish outlook demonstrate continued momentum, though geopolitical risks and competitive pressures remain pertinent concerns. The positive ripple effects on related crypto and mining stocks highlight Nvidia’s influence across technology sectors, as firms increasingly pivot towards AI infrastructure to capture growth opportunities in a rapidly evolving digital economy.

📌 Reference Map:

  • [1] (CoinDesk) - Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
  • [2] (Axios) - Paragraphs 1, 2
  • [3] (Tom's Hardware) - Paragraph 4
  • [4] (Reuters) - Paragraph 2
  • [5] (AP News) - Paragraph 2
  • [6] (Reuters) - Paragraph 7
  • [7] (OKX) - Paragraph 6

Source: Noah Wire Services