OpenAI eyes $500 billion valuation in potential employee share sale
OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, is reportedly in early-stage talks for a private stock sale that would allow current and former employees to cash out, potentially valuing the company at around $500 billion—a significant jump from its current $300 billion valuation.
According to a source familiar with the matter, this sale would occur before any potential initial public offering (IPO) and could involve the sale of several billion dollars worth of shares. The talks highlight OpenAI’s rapid growth fueled by ChatGPT, which now boasts about 700 million weekly active users, up from roughly 400 million in February, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
OpenAI’s revenue has more than doubled in the first seven months of 2025, with an annualized run rate of $12 billion and projections to reach $20 billion by year-end. The company’s growth has intensified competition among tech giants to recruit and retain top artificial intelligence talent, with firms like Meta investing billions to lure executives and engineers.
This potential share sale follows a major funding round led by Japan’s SoftBank Group, aiming to raise $40 billion. SoftBank has committed to funding $22.5 billion of that round by year-end, while the rest of the funding has been subscribed at the current $300 billion valuation.
OpenAI is also planning a significant corporate restructuring to move away from its current capped-profit model, which could pave the way for a future IPO. However, CFO Sarah Friar has stated that an IPO will only be pursued when market conditions and the company’s readiness align.
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