TLDR: OpenAI is reportedly in discussions for a secondary stock sale of approximately $6 billion, which would value the artificial intelligence powerhouse at an estimated $500 billion. The deal involves current and former employees selling shares to major investors including SoftBank Group, Thrive Capital, and Dragoneer Investment Group, marking a significant increase from its previous $300 billion valuation.
OpenAI, the company behind the widely popular ChatGPT, is reportedly in advanced discussions to facilitate a secondary stock sale totaling around $6 billion. This strategic move, if finalized, would propel the company’s valuation to an astounding $500 billion, solidifying its position as the most highly valued AI startup globally. The transaction would allow current and former OpenAI employees to sell their shares to a consortium of prominent investors, including SoftBank Group, Thrive Capital, and Dragoneer Investment Group, with Thrive Capital anticipated to lead the round.
This potential valuation represents a substantial leap from OpenAI’s previous $300 billion valuation achieved in a record-setting $40 billion funding round closed in March 2025. The rapid increase underscores the company’s explosive growth and its dominant position in the burgeoning generative AI market. At $500 billion, OpenAI would not only surpass the market capitalization of established tech giants like Intel, IBM, and SAP but also begin to approach the valuation tiers of trillion-dollar companies such as Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia.
The secondary share sale serves multiple strategic purposes. It provides liquidity for employees, which is crucial for talent retention in the fiercely competitive AI landscape where rival firms are actively seeking to poach top talent. This initiative complements OpenAI’s ongoing $40 billion primary funding round, also reportedly led by SoftBank, which is earmarked for infrastructure development and research and development efforts.
OpenAI’s financial performance has been robust, demonstrating the commercial success of its AI products. The company has reportedly doubled its revenue in the first seven months of 2025, achieving an annualized run rate of $12 billion. Projections indicate that OpenAI is on track to reach $20 billion in revenue by the end of the year. Furthermore, its flagship product, ChatGPT, has seen remarkable user adoption, with weekly active users surging to approximately 700 million, up from 400 million in February.
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While discussions are still in their early stages and the final terms could be subject to change, this proposed $6 billion secondary offering highlights the immense investor confidence in OpenAI’s future and its pivotal role in shaping the artificial intelligence industry.
