[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] SAN FRANCISCO, CA — August 5, 2025 — OpenAI is reportedly in early talks to launch a new secondary share sale for existing and former employees, based on a staggering $500 billion company valuation, according to the Financial Times.
Venture firms such as Tribe Capital are said to be proposing to purchase several billion dollars’ worth of OpenAI shares held by employees. While the discussions are still in preliminary stages, and specifics like deal size and timing have not been finalized, sources suggest the transaction may surpass the $1.5 billion secondary sale conducted late last year.
This marks a significant leap in valuation. In April, OpenAI raised $40 billion from investors including SoftBank Group, securing a company valuation of $300 billion. In less than four months, the company’s valuation has soared by $200 billion.
If finalized, this secondary deal would make OpenAI the world’s most valuable private tech company, surpassing Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which is valued at $400 billion.
The surge in valuation reflects surging investor appetite for artificial intelligence. OpenAI’s annual recurring revenue (ARR) has reportedly reached $12 billion since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, and is projected to exceed $20 billion by the end of this year.
Rival firm Anthropic is also experiencing rapid growth, with ARR quadrupling to $4 billion this year. The company is reportedly seeking over $5 billion in funding at a $170 billion valuation.
AlphaBIZ Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
