OpenAI Skyrockets to Become the Most Valuable Private Company Globally at $500B
OpenAI, in a monumental move, has finalized a massive $6.6 billion secondary share sale. This unprecedented transaction has skyrocketed its valuation to a staggering $500 billion, thereby solidifying its position as the world’s most valuable privately held company. The deal facilitated current and former employees to sell shares to a consortium of high-profile investors. These include Thrive Capital, SoftBank Group Corp., Dragoneer Investment Group, Abu Dhabi’s MGX, and T. Rowe Price.
This extraordinary leap from OpenAI’s previous $300 billion valuation earlier in 2025 signifies a 67% increase. It propels the ChatGPT maker ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which was valued at approximately $456 billion. The deal comes on the heels of OpenAI reporting a whopping $4.3 billion in revenue during the first half of 2025. Projections suggest that the annual revenue could potentially hit the $10 billion mark for the full year.
The secondary sale was strategically designed as a retention tool for employees. This comes amidst the fierce competition for AI talent, particularly from Meta’s aggressive hiring campaign. Interestingly, eligible employees sold less than the $10 billion worth of stock initially authorized for sale. This, according to sources, indicates a strong confidence in the company’s long-term prospects.
Source: Bloomberg