Anthropic confidentially filed for a US IPO with the SEC.
Claude maker moves ahead of OpenAI in the IPO race.
IPO could fund AI infrastructure, chips and model development.
Anthropic has taken a major step towards a stock market debut, confidentially filing paperwork for an initial public offering (IPO) in the United States as competition in the artificial intelligence industry increasingly shifts from technology to capital markets.
The maker of Claude announced on June 1 that it had confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a proposed IPO of its common stock.
1 May 2026
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With its public market debut, the Claude maker could reportedly target a valuation of around $1 trillion. While the company did not disclose the number of shares it plans to offer or its targeted valuation, the filing gives Anthropic the option to proceed with a public listing once the regulatory review process is completed.
"Anthropic, PBC confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for a proposed initial public offering of our common stock. This gives us the option to go public after the SEC completes its review," the company said in a statement.
The company added that any offering would depend on market conditions and other factors and would be conducted in accordance with US securities laws.
AI Race Enters New Phase
Anthropic's filing comes at a time when investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence companies remains exceptionally strong.
The move also places the company ahead of rival OpenAI in the race to reach public markets, marking a new chapter in the growing competition between the two AI developers.
The industry is increasingly focused not only on building more advanced AI models but also on securing the enormous capital required for data centres, chips and computing infrastructure.
Access to public markets could provide companies with a significant funding advantage as spending requirements continue to rise.
Valuation Surge
The IPO filing follows a period of rapid growth for Anthropic. The company recently surpassed OpenAI in private-market valuation after raising fresh capital at a reported post-money valuation of $965 billion.
Multiple reports have since described Anthropic as the world's most valuable AI start-up.
Founded just four years ago by former OpenAI employees, the company has emerged as one of the leading challengers in the global AI industry through its Claude family of models.
The confidential filing process allows Anthropic to complete regulatory reviews before publicly releasing detailed financial information and formally marketing the offering to investors.
OpenAI May Follow
Anthropic's move comes amid expectations that OpenAI could also pursue a public listing. Reports suggest OpenAI may confidentially file IPO documents in the coming weeks, setting the stage for what could become one of the most closely watched technology listing battles in recent years.
With both companies expected to invest heavily in AI infrastructure, computing power and future model development, the competition between them is increasingly extending beyond product innovation and into fundraising capabilities.
For investors, the potential listings would offer a rare opportunity to gain direct exposure to some of the world's most influential artificial intelligence companies as the sector continues to attract unprecedented levels of capital.
