Anthropic’s valuation skyrockets 550% to $1.2 trillion, surpassing OpenAI! Even selling houses in the secondary market is a frenzy to secure shares.

The AI gold rush has entered its most frenzied phase! According to a report by Business Insider today (9th), the secondary market valuation of Anthropic, the developer of the renowned AI model Claude, has soared to $1.2 trillion, surging 550% this year and leaving OpenAI's $908 billion valuation in the dust. With an IPO expected within months, sellers are extremely reluctant to part with shares, not only triggering extreme phenomena like buyers "selling houses to buy shares," but also spawning a flood of gray-market SPV transactions, prompting a stern warning from Anthropic's official channels.

(Previous context: Temasek discloses holdings in Anthropic and OpenAI! AI investment target 15%)
(Background supplement: Anthropic's "Claude Cowork" expands to web and mobile devices, transforming into an all-purpose AI virtual coworker)

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• Valuation up 550% YoY! Anthropic tops $1.2 trillion, leaving OpenAI behind
• "Selling houses for shares" chaos rampant; official warns against gray market trades
• Gearing up for IPO with revenue exceeding targets, OpenAI fights back fiercely with GPT-5.6

In 2026, as the global AI gold rush continues to boil, the capital landscape of Silicon Valley's pre-IPO unicorns is undergoing a historic reshuffle. Undoubtedly, the most dazzling protagonist in the current market is Anthropic, the developer of the Claude model.

According to the latest report published by Business Insider on July 9, Anthropic's trading valuation on secondary markets has skyrocketed to an astonishing $1.2 trillion. This not only reflects the market's extreme hunger for its underlying technology but also reveals a severe supply-demand imbalance where "even money can't buy shares."

Valuation up 550% YoY! Anthropic tops $1.2 trillion, leaving OpenAI behind

The report notes that Anthropic's valuation growth this year has been explosive, with an annual growth rate of 550%. As early as April this year, its secondary market valuation first broke the $1 trillion mark, officially surpassing former leader OpenAI. In comparison, OpenAI's valuation on secondary trading platform Caplight currently stands at approximately $908 billion.

Javier Avalos, CEO of Caplight, stated bluntly: "Anthropic is the most sought-after company in the history of secondary markets." Glen Anderson, CEO of another trading platform, Rainmaker Securities, also confirmed the $1.2 trillion transaction price. However, he emphasized that due to early investors and employees being extremely reluctant to sell, there are hardly any willing sellers in the market, resulting in very thin actual trading volume.

"Selling houses for shares" chaos rampant; official warns against gray market trades

Amid this frenzy where shares are nearly impossible to obtain, buyers' behavior has become increasingly extreme. Reports have even emerged of investors willing to "sell their homes" to acquire Anthropic shares. To bypass restrictions, a large number of "gray market trades" carrying high fees and complex ownership structures have proliferated, with buyers mostly attempting to indirectly obtain equity through special purpose vehicles (SPVs).

Facing market chaos, Anthropic, currently in an IPO quiet period, declined media interviews but has issued its sternest warning to investors on its official website: "If anyone offers any way (directly or indirectly) to invest in Anthropic, assume it is invalid." This stance has forced Wall Street buyers to become more cautious, with most now only daring to participate in "first-layer" SPVs where the seller's identity is transparent, fearing they might spend heavily only to end up empty-handed.

Gearing up for IPO with revenue exceeding targets, OpenAI fights back fiercely with GPT-5.6

Anthropic's next steps in the capital market are quite clear. During the Series H funding round announced in May this year, its official valuation had already reached $965 billion, and last month it formally filed an S-1 document, with a highly anticipated public offering (IPO) expected within the coming months. Although Matt Murphy, a partner at Anthropic early investor Menlo Ventures, considers the secondary market valuation "noise," he also confirmed that the company's current revenue figures are "far exceeding the full-year plan" and absolutely worth market attention.

| AI Duel Indicator |
| --- |
Anthropic |
OpenAI |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Current Secondary Market Valuation |
$1.2 trillion |
$908 billion |
| Market Buyer Demand Ratio |
Approx. 5 |
Approx. 2 |
| Recent Capital & Tech Moves |
Filed S-1, IPO expected within months |
Publicly launched GPT-5.6 (Sol/Terra) |

However, OpenAI is clearly not about to give up its throne easily. With the recent official launch of the powerful GPT-5.6 series models (including the flagship "Sol" and economical "Terra"), demand for OpenAI on secondary markets has rebounded significantly in recent weeks. Traders reveal that just a month ago, demand for OpenAI was quite limited, but now bidding has clearly picked up. This AI titan duel, with both valuations approaching the trillion-dollar level, is set to ignite the most intense capital storm in Silicon Valley history ahead of Anthropic's IPO.