Jensen Huang resigns; Nvidia shares fall 10% amid spy probe

• Jensen Huang stepped down as Nvidia CEO on November 12, 2026, amid alleged espionage links.
• Colette Kress named interim CEO as shares dropped and investigations intensified.

On November 13, 2026, Cryptopolitan reported that Jensen Huang resigned as chief executive officer of Nvidia on November 12, 2026, following reports linking him to extramarital affairs and allegations involving Alice Huang, a former Megaspeed executive suspected of ties to Chinese espionage. While Nvidia’s board stated no evidence suggested company secrets or U.S. national security were compromised, they accepted Huang’s resignation and immediately appointed Colette Kress, Nvidia’s chief financial officer since 2013, as interim CEO. Nvidia shares dropped by as much as 10% in pre-market trading following the news and ongoing controversy, according to The Washington Post.

Cryptopolitan noted that Pavel Durov, founder of Telegram, referenced the incident by comparing Huang’s board-driven exit to his own 2014 ousting from VKontakte. Durov remarked that founders “should be the board” to avoid removal, highlighting corporate boards’ influence and recalling his refusal to hand over protester data as the cause for his departure.

U.S. authorities and Nvidia are continuing to investigate any ties between Alice Huang and Chinese intelligence, while Beijing has denied all allegations and labeled reports of espionage “unsubstantiated.” Foreign Policy reported on November 12, 2026, that this controversy has sparked bipartisan calls in Congress for expanded national security inquiries and triggered parallel Department of Justice probes. Jensen Huang is scheduled to testify before Congress as part of the ongoing investigation.

Nvidia’s leadership transition and continued market volatility coincide with the unresolved status of the espionage allegations. Both the company and the Chinese government maintain there is no evidence of any security breach.