Nvidia CEO sells $36m in stock, nears Warren Buffett in wealth

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has sold about US$36.4 million worth of Nvidia stock, according to an SEC filing.

The sale involved 225,000 shares and is part of a plan Huang adopted in March to sell up to 6 million shares by the end of 2025.

He previously sold US$15 million worth in June under the same plan and around US$700 million earlier in 2024 under another prearranged agreement.

Huang, 62, now has an estimated net worth of US$143 billion, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires Index, placing him close to Warren Buffett.

🔗 Source: CNBC

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ CEO stock sales reflect broader wealth accumulation trends

Huang’s $36.4 million stock sale represents a tiny fraction of his holdings, as he still retains over 858 million shares of Nvidia directly and indirectly.

This transaction mirrors a growing trend among executives in 2025, with CEOs from 197 companies selling stock worth over $1 million in February alone, including notable sales by Palo Alto Networks’ Nikesh Arora ($275 million) and JP Morgan’s Jamie Dimon ($233 million)1.

The wealth accumulation for CEOs has been extraordinary over time, with executive compensation growing by 940% since 1978, compared to just 12% for average workers during the same period2.

Huang’s net worth surge to $143 billion, putting him on par with Warren Buffett, exemplifies this widening gap, as his personal wealth has grown by approximately $29 billion in just over six months.

Such executive wealth concentration reflects structural changes in compensation practices, with stock options and equity-based pay becoming increasingly prominent drivers of executive wealth since the 1990s2.

2️⃣ Prearranged selling plans balance shareholder alignment with diversification

Huang’s stock sale through a prearranged plan highlights the careful balance executives maintain between demonstrating company confidence and prudent personal financial management.

Most major companies (87.6% of Fortune 100) establish formal stock ownership guidelines for their executives, with median CEO ownership targets around $9 million, designed specifically to align leadership interests with shareholders3.

These ownership policies typically include five-year accumulation periods and holding requirements that prevent executives from selling shares until ownership thresholds are met, creating long-term alignment mechanisms3.