# GPUs Become Appreciating Assets in AI Economy

October 22, 2026 at 09:11 AM

> Elon Musk and Jensen Huang confirm NVIDIA GPUs now gain value over time, with B200 models trading at 158 percent of their original cost.

During **SpaceX**'s Q3 2026 earnings call, **Elon Musk** and **Jensen Huang** confirmed that GPUs are no longer depreciating assets. Huang noted a useful life of over eight years, while Musk highlighted that older units deliver higher intelligence per watt as models evolve.

**NVIDIA** B200 GPUs currently trade at a 58 percent premium to launch prices, with residual values hitting 158 percent of original costs. **Silicon Data** reports that A100 and H100 models also exceed standard three to five-year straight-line depreciation schedules.

The economics of AI compute remain robust, with 1 GW costing $50 billion but generating $40 billion in annual revenue. Musk stated that short-term compute rental contracts are renewing at higher rates, resulting in a payback period of less than one year.


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