# OpenAI may raise up to $30B at $1.25T valuation, sources say

Digest AI · Business & Funding · published 2026-10-22T20:23:08Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/openai-may-raise-up-to-30b-at-1-25t-valuation-sources-say

## Summary

OpenAI is reportedly close to closing a funding round that could value the company at more than $1 trillion. Sources familiar with the deal say the San Francisco‑based AI firm is looking to raise up to $30 billion at a $1.25 trillion pre‑money valuation, although the final size is still being determined. Investors from the United Arab Emirates are said to be leading the round alongside the venture firm Coatue.

OpenAI has positioned the financing as an “opportunistic” bridge ahead of a potential initial public offering, which CFO Sarah Friar told employees is likely to occur in 2027. The company is also reportedly negotiating a commercial agreement with a UAE partner to secure additional computing capacity as it expands its AI services. The fundraising comes amid a choppy tech‑market environment, with recent jitters around CoreWeave and anticipation of Anthropic’s upcoming IPO. OpenAI has already filed confidentially for a public listing.

## Key points

- OpenAI is reportedly raising up to $30 billion at a $1.25 trillion pre‑money valuation.
- Investors from the United Arab Emirates and Coatue are said to be leading the round.
- The financing is framed as an opportunistic bridge before a potential 2027 IPO and a UAE compute‑capacity deal.

## Why it matters

A multi‑billion bridge at a trillion‑plus valuation signals strong investor confidence, could fund compute expansion, and sets a benchmark for upcoming AI IPOs.

## Sources

1. [Sources: OpenAI nears an up to $30B round led by investors from the UAE and Coatue at a $1.25T pre-money valuation, as an "opportunistic" bridge ahead of an IPO](https://cnbc.com/2026/10/22/openai-funding-round-uae-investors.html) (cnbc.com, 2026-10-22)

## Cite

Digest AI, "OpenAI may raise up to $30B at $1.25T valuation, sources say", 22 October 2026, https://digestai.news/story/openai-may-raise-up-to-30b-at-1-25t-valuation-sources-say

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