OpenAI Employees to Sell $6 Billion in Shares at $500 Billion Valuation

Current and former employees of OpenAI are planning to sell approximately $6 billion in shares to a group of investors that includes SoftBank Group Corp., Thrive Capital, and Dragoneer Investment Group. The secondary offering is currently in early discussions and could value the company at $500 billion, according to people familiar with the deal [1]. This figure would place OpenAI ahead of Elon Musk’s SpaceX as the world’s most valuable private company [2]. The deal is separate from SoftBank’s earlier commitment to lead a $40 billion funding round for OpenAI, which was valued at $300 billion [3].

Employees who have spent at least two years with the company are eligible to participate in the secondary sale, a move that reflects broader trends in the private tech sector where companies increasingly use such deals to retain talent without going public [4]. OpenAI has faced growing competition in the AI space, with firms like Meta offering substantial financial incentives to lure talent away from startups. In 2025, several OpenAI staff, including co-creator of ChatGPT Shengjia Zhao, have moved to Meta [5].

The secondary offering also marks a strategic step for institutional investors like SoftBank and Thrive Capital, who are doubling down on OpenAI’s long-term potential. SoftBank, in particular, has previously committed to a separate $1 billion purchase of OpenAI employee shares at a $300 billion valuation [6]. This transaction, which predates the latest discussions, underscores the Japanese conglomerate’s deep involvement in the AI sector and its confidence in OpenAI’s growth trajectory.

As part of its broader vision, OpenAI expects its revenue to triple this year to $12.7 billion from $3.7 billion in 2024 [7]. The company is also preparing for the release of its next major model, GPT-5, and has emphasized its commitment to investing trillions of dollars in infrastructure to support its AI services in the near future [8]. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has expressed a willingness to challenge conventional economic expectations, stating that the company will prioritize its goals over criticism from traditional financial analysts.

The secondary share sale is still subject to regulatory and structural approvals. Once finalized, it could set a precedent for other private tech firms seeking to provide liquidity to early stakeholders without altering their governance structures [9]. Analysts have noted that such large-scale transactions can influence investor sentiment and market dynamics in fast-moving industries like artificial intelligence [10].

Source:

[1] OpenAI staffers to sell $6 billion in stock to SoftBank, other ... (https://fortune.com/2025/08/16/openai-staffers-6-billion-secondary-stock-sale-softbank-thrive-capital-dragoneer/)

[2] OpenAI in talks to sell $6 billion in stock at about $500 billion (https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/15/openai-6-billion-stock-500-billion-valuation.html)

[3] OpenAI employees to sell $6B of shares to SoftBank ... (https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/topstocks/openai-employees-to-sell-6b-of-shares-to-softbank-others-bloomberg-says/ar-AA1KCaZS)

[4] OpenAI staff looking to sell $6 billion in stock to SoftBank, ... (https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/OPENAI-SHARE-SALE-e01ca0f6-b997-405c-86f1-87219a23e9c6)

[5] Current and former employees of OpenAI are looking to ... (https://www.facebook.com/Reuters/posts/current-and-former-employees-of-openai-are-looking-to-sell-nearly-6-billion-wort/130****154577847/)

[6] OpenAI Staff Plan $6 Billion Stock ... (https://www.instagram.com/p/DNbg11-u-va/)