Key Takeaways
- • Argentum AI, a Chicago-based AI cloud startup backed by Super Micro Computer, is in talks to secure a $5 billion chip financing deal with a major private credit firm, according to Reuters citing two people familiar with the matter.
- • The debt would fund additional chips for Argentum's Poland data center developed with DL Invest Group, with the chips leased to customers lacking investment-grade ratings.
- • Argentum reports more than $12 billion in contracted revenue, per one of the sources cited by Reuters; the lender has not been named.
- • Financing conditions for neocloud operators have tightened, with Elon Musk stating on X that debt markets have almost entirely shut off for companies without substantial revenue outside AI data centers.
- • Rival Nebius recently secured a $3.5 billion facility from Citi, highlighting that lenders still back well-capitalized neocloud players.
Summary
According to one of the sources, the proposed debt would finance additional chips for the Poland data center Argentum secured with DL Invest Group. The chips would be leased to customers without investment-grade ratings. The source said Argentum has more than $12 billion in contracted revenue. The Poland project builds on a roughly $2.5 billion deal Argentum signed in May with cloud gaming firm Boosteroid and DL Invest for a 300-megawatt data center.
The proposed transaction comes as financing for neoclouds, which rent AI computing power to other companies, has tightened, Reuters reported. Elon Musk wrote on X on Sunday that debt markets have almost entirely shut off for companies without substantial revenue outside AI data centers. Rival Nebius last week secured a $3.5 billion facility from Citi, illustrating that lenders remain willing to finance neocloud operators with established backing.
The talks remain unconfirmed, and no terms beyond the reported size and purpose have been disclosed.
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