Nscale IPO Targets $30bn Despite AI Data-Centre Delays

Nscale plans to proceed with an IPO targeting a $30bn valuation, down from an earlier reported ceiling of $35bn. The AI data-centre developer says it has signed $103bn in contracts, and CEO Josh Payne has described demand as strong and the company’s capital structure as robust. But delivery remains a concern: by August 2026, Nscale had delivered 55 megawatts of computing capacity against potential demand of 10 gigawatts, while its flagship 30-megawatt project was reported to be about six months behind schedule. Site inspections identified 10 safety violations, including ungrounded high-voltage components; reports also cited a liquid-cooling leak and transformer fire. Nscale relies heavily on capacity leased from other operators, and Microsoft and Anthropic account for about 85% of its contracted business. It has not yet secured the financing or long-term chip supply needed for a reported $44.6bn Anthropic commitment at its West Virginia campus. Microsoft has also withdrawn from a UK data-centre project. The gap between Nscale’s contract claims and delivered capacity could test investor confidence in its IPO and the wider AI infrastructure sector. Nscale’s Bitcoin-mining origins provide a crypto connection, but the story does not indicate a direct impact on Bitcoin prices.