Anthropic Files for Record $2 Trillion Nasdaq IPO

AI developer Anthropic has confidentially filed for an initial public offering on the Nasdaq, targeting a valuation of approximately $2 trillion. The company aims to raise between $60 billion and $100 billion, which would make it one of the largest IPOs in history, potentially surpassing the record set by Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX). Anthropic expects to debut in October or November 2026, supported by anchor investment discussions with Nvidia Inc. for up to $10 billion and existing significant stakes from Amazon.com and Alphabet Inc.

Financial performance has surged, with annualized revenue reaching $65 billion by July and projected to exceed $100 billion by year-end. The company reported an adjusted operating profit of $559 million in the second quarter, though it faces extreme capital intensity, having committed over $500 billion to computing capacity through August 2026.

This financial push contrasts with a public debate on AI safety. CEO Dario Amodei urged the industry to slow the pace of model improvement to strengthen safeguards, a position supported by Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. However, the proposal was dismissed by U.S. President Donald Trump, who emphasized maintaining a lead over China. Internally, some Anthropic researchers have warned of existential risks, leading the SOC Investment Group to call for a delay of the offering to properly price these security risks.