OpenAI seeks to accelerate $30 billion funding to secure capital before Anthropic's IPO

BlockBeats news, October 20 - According to Reuters, sources familiar with the matter revealed that OpenAI is accelerating a new funding round of approximately $30 billion, striving to secure investor commitments before Anthropic's anticipated mid-November listing, with the company's valuation potentially exceeding $1.4 trillion. SoftBank, Abu Dhabi investment firm MGX, and other existing investors are in negotiations to participate in this round of financing, though investment arrangements have not yet been finalized.

The two companies are competing for a similar pool of investors. OpenAI held talks last week with long-term funds and sovereign wealth funds, with some investors believing the move aims to lock in capital that might otherwise flow to Anthropic's IPO. OpenAI also needs funding to support large-scale infrastructure investment and to strengthen its balance sheet amid a deteriorating IPO market and further delays to its 2027 listing plan.

According to a source familiar with the matter, OpenAI told investors that revenue growth has accelerated following the launch of GPT-6 Astra, with annualized revenue already reaching $50 billion and expected to rise to $70 billion by year-end. The company also hopes to complete the funding round before Anthropic discloses more complete financial information that could prompt further investor comparisons.