Startups Push to Turn GPU Compute Into a Tradable Commodity

Several startups, including Ornn, Silicon Data, Architect and Liquid Compute, are building futures markets, price indexes and brokerage services to standardize GPU compute pricing. Ornn is raising a new triple-tranche round at a valuation of around $1 billion, with Thrive Capital and General Catalyst in talks to participate, after a $33 million seed round led by a16z crypto in June. None of the companies has secured financial regulatory approval yet, and CME's planned listing of futures tied to Silicon Data's H100 and B200 GPU rental indexes has slipped past its October 5 target.