OpenAI considers funding round at $1.2 trillion valuation

OpenAI is considering a new funding round that would value the company at more than $1.2 trillion. That is according to the Wall Street Journal. The move is expected to precede an IPO planned for 2027. In March, OpenAI was still valued at $852 billion, after raising $122 billion in investments. A valuation of $1.2 trillion would represent an increase of more than $348 billion in less than a year.

In brief:

• OpenAI is considering a funding round at a valuation of more than $1.2 trillion
• An IPO is expected to be planned for 2027
• The company now has more than 1 billion active users and booked $6.7 billion in revenue in the second quarter

Valuation soars after strong user growth

The sharp rise in the expected valuation is tied to the strong growth OpenAI achieved over the past year. The number of active users passed the 1 billion mark, while second-quarter revenue in 2026 came in at $6.7 billion.

Those figures make clear why investors are willing to pay a considerably higher price than in the previous funding round. In March, the company raised $122 billion, which resulted in the valuation of $852 billion at the time.

IPO expected in 2027

The new funding round would serve as a run-up to the IPO that is widely expected in 2027. In recent years, OpenAI has developed from a research organisation into one of the fastest-growing technology companies in the world, partly thanks to the success of ChatGPT.

A final decision on the funding round has not yet been taken. If the $1.2 trillion valuation is confirmed, OpenAI ranks among the most valuable companies in the world, even before an actual stock exchange listing.