OpenAI accelerates fundraising ahead of Anthropic IPO

OpenAI is in a hurry, and the reason has a ticker symbol in its future. The ChatGPT maker is pushing to close a $30 billion funding round before Anthropic’s anticipated IPO, according to Reuters. The goal is to avoid having its private valuation measured against a public one. The race to lock in a number OpenAI is seeking commitments from both existing backers and new investors. The round reflects a desired valuation of more than $1.4 trillion. For context, OpenAI’s previous round closed on March 31, 2026. That raise brought in $122 billion at an $852 billion post-money valuation. The urgency is largely tied to infrastructure funding needs ahead of a planned 2027 public offering. Anthropic has already filed a confidential draft S-1 with regulators. That paperwork points to a potential IPO in November 2026. OpenAI has signaled its own listing will not come until at least 2027. That leaves a window where Anthropic could be the only frontier AI lab with a live, daily-traded price. How the two rivals stack up Anthropic raised $65 billion in May 2026 at a $965 billion post-money valuation. That figure sits above the $852 billion OpenAI fetched in March. Anthropic also reported Q3 revenu...