Copyright TechStartups.com
Rumble is making its biggest move yet beyond video hosting. The company behind Donald Trump’s Truth Social platform announced Monday that it will acquire Germany’s Northern Data in an all-stock deal valued at roughly $767 million, marking a sharp turn toward the booming AI cloud business. The news sent Rumble’s shares up more than 25% in premarket trading. The deal hands Rumble control of two key assets: Taiga, Northern Data’s cloud division stocked with Nvidia GPUs, and Ardent, a large-scale data center operator. Under the terms, Northern Data shareholders will receive 2.0281 newly issued Class A shares of Rumble for each share they hold—a 12.99% discount to Northern Data’s Friday close. Rumble had originally made an offer in August valued at about $1.17 billion, seeking control of Taiga and Ardent to expand its AI ambitions. This new agreement comes with updated terms, including a $150 million GPU-leasing arrangement with Tether, the cryptocurrency group that owns 48% of Rumble, Reuters reported. “Northern Data. Tether. Rumble. This is how we build the AI ecosystem for the future, from the ground up,” said Chris Pavlovski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Rumble. “Freedom-First is the new way forward for tech. Unlike Big Tech, it represents a future where technology empowers rather than controls. Built on the principles of free speech, privacy, independence, and resilience, Freedom-First seeks to ensure that people — not unaccountable digital gatekeepers — are in charge,” he added. “The addition of GPUs and data centers to our existing video and cloud portfolio would just be the start. Our vision is to continue building out this ecosystem with the addition of new verticals, including financial services like Rumble Wallet, AI chatbots and agents, productivity suite with email and storage, and new web navigation solutions, all in the name of freedom, privacy, independence and resilience.” From Video Hosting to AI Infrastructure: Rumble’s Big Pivot The company also committed to providing $200 million in tax liability support to Northern Data. Once the deal closes, Rumble will add 22,400 Nvidia GPUs to its infrastructure—hardware that’s become the new oil of the AI race. Taiga’s GPU inventory includes roughly 20,480 Nvidia H100 chips and more than 2,000 H200s, both highly coveted by companies training large-scale AI models. Rumble plans to fold both Taiga and Ardent into its operations as it evolves from a video platform into a broader infrastructure provider. Tether, the world’s largest stablecoin issuer, will become a major customer through a multi-year commitment to buy GPUs from Rumble. Tether’s role in the deal runs deep. The group invested $775 million in Rumble last December and already holds significant stakes in both companies—48% of Rumble and 54% of Northern Data. After the merger, Tether will become Rumble’s largest single Class A shareholder, while CEO Chris Pavlovski will retain majority voting control. Northern Data’s shareholders will own about 30.4% of the combined company once the deal closes, expected in the second quarter of 2026. Northern Data will delist afterward. Northern Data had withdrawn its annual forecast in October as it explored strategic options and assessed GPU market pricing. The company also said it would pay $200 million in cash to its shareholders if it manages to sell its Corpus Christi data center before the transaction is completed. For Rumble, the move marks a defining moment. Once known as an alternative video host for right-leaning creators, it’s now positioning itself as a serious player in AI infrastructure—powered by thousands of Nvidia chips and backed by one of crypto’s biggest financiers.
