OpenAI Nears Record $100B+ Funding Round at $850B+ Valuation

A Record-Breaking AI Investment

OpenAI is finalizing the first phase of a new funding round expected to exceed $100 billion, which would make it the largest single-company fundraise in AI history. Bloomberg and TechCrunch reported on February 19 that the deal could push OpenAI's valuation above $850 billion.

Key Investors and Commitments

• Amazon: Considering up to $50 billion — the largest single contributor
• SoftBank: ~$30 billion
• NVIDIA: ~$20 billion
• Microsoft: Participating as a continuing strategic partner

Two-Phase Structure

The round is structured in two phases: the first focuses on strategic corporate investors and is expected to close by end of February. A second phase will follow, targeting venture capital firms, sovereign wealth funds, and other large institutional investors.

Tied to Stargate

The fundraise is closely tied to Stargate, the joint AI data center project between OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank targeting $500 billion in total infrastructure investment across the United States to support next-generation AI workloads.

IPO on the Horizon

Industry observers expect an OpenAI IPO could follow by late 2026. The company is currently restructuring into a for-profit entity, and this round is seen as a critical step in that transition — providing capital while creating a clearer path to public markets for backers.

Source: TechCrunch, Bloomberg