OpenAI Becomes World's Most Valuable Startup After $500B Share Sale

OpenAI has reached a valuation of $500 billion following a $6.6 billion secondary share sale involving current and former employees selling shares to investors such as SoftBank, Thrive Capital, and Abu Dhabi's MGX. This valuation surpasses that of Elon Musk's SpaceX, making OpenAI the world's most valuable startup. The secondary sale provided liquidity to employees without bringing new capital to the company, helping retain key talent amid fierce competition from tech giants like Meta. OpenAI's rapid growth is driven by its AI products, including ChatGPT and GPT-5, as well as significant partnerships with Oracle, Nvidia, and CoreWeave. The company reported $4.3 billion in revenue in the first half of 2025, exceeding its total revenue for 2024, highlighting its expanding financial impact in the AI sector. Investor enthusiasm for AI remains high, reflected in OpenAI's soaring valuation and major investments by firms like Nvidia and SoftBank.