In Brief

Posted:

3:08 PM PDT · October 22, 2026

Image Credits: Darrell Etherington with files from Getty under license

OpenAI is reportedly close to securing another mega round of private funding, rather than plowing ahead with an IPO. The AI lab is working on raising up to $30 billion at a $1.25 trillion pre-money valuation in a round led by Coatue and investors in UAE, sources told CNBC .

This follows a similar report by Bloomberg a month ago which said the AI lab was working on raising $30 billion at a $1.4 trillion valuation. Terms are still being negotiated, both outlets report, so they could ultimately change. CNBC reports that the UAE funding could also be coupled with a deal to secure more computing capacity for OpenAI from the UAE, too. OpenAI declined comment.

Should OpenAI command a valuation of more than $1 trillion with this round, it would break records as the most valued private company ever. That valuation would also raise the bar even higher for OpenAI’s forthcoming IPO.…