OpenAI has finalized a secondary share sale allowing current and former employees to cash out approximately $6.6 billion in stock at a $500 billion valuation, marking the highest valuation ever for a private company and surpassing Elon Musk’s SpaceX. According to a Bloomberg report on October 2, 2025, the transaction involved sales to investors including Thrive Capital, SoftBank Group Corp., Dragoneer Investment Group, Abu Dhabi’s MGX, and T. Rowe Price, propelling OpenAI ahead of SpaceX’s $400 billion valuation. For AI investors, tech analysts, and startup watchers searching OpenAI $6.6B share sale, OpenAI $500B valuation, or OpenAI employee stock sale 2025, this deal—completed amid OpenAI’s $40 billion primary funding round earlier this year—highlights the explosive demand for AI infrastructure, with the company’s revenue projected to exceed $12.7 billion in 2025. The sale also aids talent retention, countering poaching by Meta and others with multimillion-dollar bonuses.
This secondary tender offer, which does not inject new capital into OpenAI, nonetheless validates its trajectory as the world’s most valuable startup, now valued at $500 billion—up from $300 billion in March 2025.
Deal Details: Employee Liquidity at Premium Valuation
The share sale enabled employees to sell portions of their equity, providing liquidity in a high-growth but illiquid private market. Sources familiar with the matter confirmed the $6.6 billion total, with the $500 billion headline valuation implying a premium for the AI leader’s future potential.
- Participants: Thrive Capital (a key backer), SoftBank, Dragoneer, MGX (Abu Dhabi sovereign fund), and T. Rowe Price.
- Structure: Secondary sale (employee stock to investors); no new shares issued.
- Context: Follows OpenAI’s $40 billion primary raise in August 2025 at $300 billion, led by SoftBank.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has emphasized the importance of such sales for retention, especially amid competition for AI talent from Meta, which poached seven engineers this summer with $100 million bonuses.
| Aspect | Details | Valuation Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Sale Amount | $6.6 Billion | Employee Liquidity |
| Headline Valuation | $500 Billion | Surpasses SpaceX ($400B) |
| Primary Raise (Aug 2025) | $40 Billion | At $300 Billion |
| Key Investors | Thrive, SoftBank, Dragoneer, MGX, T. Rowe | Institutional Confidence |
Strategic Implications: Fueling AI’s Trillion-Dollar Race
The valuation leap underscores OpenAI’s dominance in generative AI, with ChatGPT reaching 700 million weekly users and revenue tripling to $12.7 billion in 2025. However, it coincides with massive infrastructure spends: A $300 billion Oracle deal over five years and a $100 billion Nvidia partnership for data centers.
- Talent Retention: Secondary sales prevent brain drain; Meta’s poaching spree highlights the stakes.
- Market Momentum: Pushes OpenAI toward a for-profit restructure, with its nonprofit parent retaining control over a new public benefit corporation.
- Broader AI Ecosystem: Validates the sector’s hype, with Nvidia’s $3-4 trillion infrastructure forecast including OpenAI’s share.
Analysts like those at CNBC note the sale’s timing amid GPT-5’s rollout, which promises “smarter, faster” capabilities in writing, coding, and healthcare.
Challenges: Profitability and Competition
Despite the valuation, OpenAI faces hurdles: $300 billion in committed spends outstrip current revenue, and Meta’s AI lab has lured top talent. The for-profit pivot requires Microsoft and SoftBank approvals, potentially diluting control.
Conclusion: OpenAI’s $500 Billion Crown
OpenAI’s $6.6 billion share sale at $500 billion cements its status as the world’s top startup, providing employee liquidity amid explosive growth. As Altman navigates trillion-dollar ambitions, it’s a win for AI’s vanguard—but profitability looms. For tech investors, it’s a benchmark: Will the crown endure? The models evolve.
