Naver Secures $9 Billion Compute Infrastructure in Deal with Brookfield

In a significant move announced on October 27, South Korean tech leader Naver has finalized a crucial agreement with global alternative asset manager Brookfield. The deal grants Naver access to compute infrastructure valued at $9 billion (approximately 12 trillion KRW). This step is seen as fulfilling a key precondition for a strategic equity investment by its partner, Nvidia.

Nvidia Poised to Become a Major Shareholder

With this infrastructure pact in place, Naver's planned third-party allotment of shares to Nvidia is expected to be completed shortly. The capital increase amounts to approximately $1 billion (around 1.3 trillion KRW). Upon finalization of the transaction, the global AI chip powerhouse Nvidia will become Naver's third-largest shareholder, cementing a deep capital and technological alliance between the two companies.

$10 Billion Global AI Factory Plan Moves Forward

This collaboration builds upon a joint vision unveiled by the three parties in July: a $10 billion (roughly 13.3 trillion KRW) initiative to build AI factories worldwide. The division of responsibilities is structured as follows:

  • Naver will be responsible for building and operating large-scale GPU clusters and data centers.
  • Nvidia will provide core technical collaboration, including its next-generation DSX high-performance computing platform.
  • Brookfield will serve as the key financing partner, arranging the infrastructure funding.

A Capital-Light Strategy: Focusing on AI Services and Growth

The path was solidified on October 24 (local time) when Naver Chairman Lee Hae-jin and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang formally signed the $1 billion strategic investment agreement at Nvidia's headquarters in California. Naver emphasized in its announcement that this unique partnership enables a more asset-light operational model. The company avoids the massive upfront capital expenditure typically required for data center construction and GPU procurement, allowing it to focus its resources on optimizing AI infrastructure operations and expanding its global customer base.