OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is preparing for a major move: a secondary sale of employee-held shares that could value the company at up to $500 billion.

This initiative follows OpenAI’s previous funding round, where it raised $8.3 billion out of a targeted $40 billion — valuing the firm at around $300 billion. Investor demand was nearly five times oversubscribed.

🔹 Who’s interested? Thrive Capital, JPMorgan, SoftBank & more

According to sources close to the matter, OpenAI has held early-stage talks with firms such as Brookfield Asset Management, Apollo Global Management, and JPMorgan. Thrive Capital is reportedly seeking to acquire employee-held shares.

SoftBank, one of the leading backers, has already invested $7.5 billion out of a committed $30 billion, with the remainder due by the end of the year.

🔹 ChatGPT is booming. Revenue is climbing fast

Since launching ChatGPT in 2022, OpenAI’s annual revenue has soared to $12 billion, and the company expects over $20 billion in annual recurring revenue (ARR) by 2025.

Interestingly, OpenAI has announced it won’t be releasing GPT-5 in August, hinting that its focus may currently lie in capital strategy and company restructuring.

Secondary Share Sale: Payout for Employees, Not the Company

A secondary share sale means the proceeds go directly to employees, not into the company’s coffers. Analysts view this as a smart retention strategy — allowing staff, particularly key ChatGPT engineers, to cash out while staying motivated.

OpenAI now boasts nearly 700 million active weekly users of ChatGPT.

Investors are flooding in. Dragoneer writes a record check

Among the heavyweights in the latest funding round is Dragoneer Investment Group, which committed $2 billion — reportedly the largest single check ever written for a startup. Other major investors include TPG, T Rowe Price, Blackstone, Fidelity, Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, Tiger Global, and Altimeter Capital. None have issued public statements yet.

IPO in Sight – But When?

All signs point toward OpenAI gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO). The company is expanding infrastructure through a partnership with Oracle, and SoftBank’s 2.77% stake is boosting valuation ahead of a potential listing.

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar emphasized that the IPO will happen “if and when” the company and the market are ready:

“You can show up at the altar prepared, but if the market isn’t ready for you — well, tough luck.”

She added that public companies need predictability, discipline, and appetite for risk — qualities OpenAI is currently cultivating.

$61.9 Billion Already Raised

According to Data Forge, OpenAI has raised over $61.9 billion across 11 funding rounds, showing massive investor confidence in both the company’s current dominance and the future of artificial intelligence as a whole.

With a $500 billion valuation in its sights, explosive user growth, and expanding influence across tech and finance, OpenAI is fast becoming one of the most anticipated IPOs of the decade.

#OpenAI , #AI , #Investing , #SamAltman , #chatgpt

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