OpenAI on its way to the largest IPO ever of $1 trillion

The global race for artificial intelligence (AI) is in full swing. While competition is increasing, OpenAI, as the founder of ChatGPT, still remains firmly in the lead. According to new reports, the company is even preparing for a stock market valuation of unprecedented proportions.

OpenAI plans mega IPO for 2026

OpenAI is preparing for an IPO, also known as an initial product offering (IPO). According to insiders Reuters spoke to, the company’s valuation could reach $1 trillion, or $1,000 billion. This would put OpenAI among the largest stock exchange companies in the world.

The IPO could raise around $60 billion in fresh capital, according to Reuters. The official application may be submitted as early as the second half of 2026. Although CFO Sarah Friar previously spoke internally about a 2027 target, that planning now appears to have been brought forward.

An OpenAI spokesperson emphasizes that an IPO is not yet a priority: “We are building a sustainable company and want to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) that benefits everyone.” AGI refers to a form of AI that can reason, learn and solve problems independently just like a human.

Earlier this month, OpenAI was valued at $500 billion. That valuation came after a secondary share sale worth $6.6 billion. Big names like SoftBank, Thrive Capital and Abu Dhabi’s MGX stepped in. With that valuation, OpenAI dethroned Elon Musk’s SpaceX as the largest startup in the world.

The IPO plans also follow a complex restructuring that has reduced dependence on Microsoft. OpenAI will now be managed as a so-called ‘public benefit corporation’, which means that the company must pursue a social purpose in addition to profit. This means it can now also enter into strategic partnerships outside of Microsoft.

Nvidia reaches $5 trillion valuation

OpenAI’s enormous valuation comes at a time when AI companies across the board are going through the roof. Nvidia, which supplies the sought-after chips powering this revolution, even rose to a market capitalization of $5 trillion, the first company ever to do so. CEO Jensen Huang announced that as much as $500 billion in chip orders are ready for the next five months.