OpenAI is in talks with investors about a potential secondary share sale at a valuation of roughly $500 billion. The discussions are in early stages and would involve a secondary sale with shares sold by current and former employees, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.
The company has seen its valuation continue to rise since launching ChatGPT in late 2022. A recent $40 billion funding round led by SoftBank at a $300 billion valuation was the largest amount ever raised by a private tech company. OpenAI recently announced an $8.3 billion tranche tied to that funding round.
OpenAI has also released two open-weight language models, which aim to serve as lower-cost options for developers and researchers. The company’s ChatGPT is nearing 700 million weekly active users, according to recent statements.
Meanwhile, rival Anthropic is in talks to secure $3 billion to $5 billion in new funding at a potential $170 billion valuation. OpenAI’s annual recurring revenue is projected to top $20 billion by year-end, up from $10 billion in June.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/05/openai-talks-with-investors-about-share-sale-at-500-billion-valuation.html