OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has reached a valuation of $500 billion after a secondary share sale that allowed current and former employees to sell approximately $6.6 billion worth of shares. This marks a significant increase from its previous $300 billion valuation, reflecting rapid user growth and increased revenue. Reuters
The share sale attracted major investors including Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, Abu Dhabi’s MGX, and T. Rowe Price. According to sources, OpenAI had authorized over $10 billion in stock sales on the secondary market. Reuters
This transaction builds on SoftBank’s earlier participation in OpenAI’s $40 billion primary funding round. Additionally, OpenAI reportedly generated $4.3 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025—surpassing its total earnings from the entire previous year by 16%. Reuters
The deal takes place amid heightened competition among tech giants to acquire top AI talent, with Meta notably investing in AI firms and recruiting key industry figures. Reuters
