Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says ‘nothing would give me more joy’ than to pay more taxes: ‘I'm just afraid of being poor’

While California faces a billionaire exodus ahead of its November 3 wealth tax vote, Nvidia co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang says he'd happily pay more to the tax man.

During a recent interview with CBS News , Huang — whose net worth Forbes recently pegged at more than $197 billion — was asked about the prospect of having to pay up to $8 billion in taxes over five years if Proposition 40 passes. He responded that "it's a privilege, it's a responsibility" to pay taxes and that "nothing would give me more joy" than to pay more.

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"The fact that I can afford to pay $8 billion in taxes over five years is a privilege," the 63-year-old explained. "The more you make, the more taxes you pay. So, I'm okay with that."

Proposition 40 — a one-off wealth tax on 5% of the net worth of any billionaire living in the state as of January 1 of this year — would, in theory, generate billions of dollars primarily for public healthcare services but also for education and food assistance programs. It's estimated that California is currently home to around 260 billionaires — the most of any state — and that the tax could raise more than $108 billion in revenue. California also has the highest combined federal and state income tax rate, which tops out at 50.3% .

Neither Huang or Nvidia replied to Moneywise's request for comment, but the billionaire told CBS that he's "not afraid of paying taxes." Rather, he quipped that he harbors a different concern: "I'm just afraid of being poor."

From Denny's dishwasher to tech billionaire

At first, a billionaire expressing concern about becoming poor could come off as somewhat tone deaf. In the second quarter of 2026, for example, the median weekly earnings for full-time U.S. wage and salary workers hit $1,258 — or roughly $67,500 if calculated across the entire year. Meanwhile, a 2026 SEC filing put Huang's 2026 compensation at above $36 million .

But Huang wasn't born into privilege. Originally from Taiwan, he was sent by his parents , along with his older brother, to the U.S. at age nine to live with an uncle in the hopes of achieving a better life.