US: OpenAI's valuation may rise to $ 500 billion after partial sale of shares by employees

The American technology company OpenAI, the developer of the ChatGPT system, is negotiating the sale of part of the shares owned by current and former employees. The deal, which is being discussed with a number of strategic investors, including the Thrive Capital fund, may lead to a revision of the company's market valuation — from the current $ 300 billion to $ 500 billion.

We are not talking about an initial public offering of shares, but about the secondary market — that is, the sale of shares previously issued to employees. The move is intended to provide liquidity for holders of options and shares, as well as strengthen the company's position ahead of a possible IPO. The sale can cover volumes of several billion dollars.

The sharp increase in the OpenAI rating is explained by the dynamics of key financial and user indicators. In the first seven months of 2025, the company doubled its revenue, bringing it to an annual pace of $ 12 billion. According to forecasts, by the end of this year, the figure may reach 20 billion. Currently, OpenAI generates about $ 1 billion a month.

ChatGPT, the company's flagship product, continues to show exponential audience growth. The number of weekly active users of the platform reached 700 million, compared to 400 million in February this year. The corporate segment is particularly important: more than 5 million organizations worldwide have already integrated ChatGPT into their operations.

This dynamic highlights the importance of OpenAI as one of the key players in the global AI ecosystem. Demand for the company's products is growing in both the consumer and corporate segments, which increases its financial stability and attractiveness to institutional investors.

The completion of the internal stake sale is expected to set the stage for further strategic maneuvering, including a potential public offering, as well as strengthen OpenAI's position against the backdrop of increasing competition in the field of generative AI.