Video explainer: OpenAI just knocked $150B off its own price tag. And one person close to the deal called the investor reaction "a bit of a thud."

OpenAI just knocked $150B off its own price tag. And one person close to the deal called the investor reaction "a bit of a thud."

Per @CNBC @OpenAI is close to raising up to $30B at a $1.25T valuation, led by UAE investors and Coatue. Signatures are due by the end of next week.

Earlier this month it pitched $1.4T. Some investors pushed back. "There has been zero clamouring," one person told the @FT.

It's still almost 50% above the $852B valuation from March. At ~$50B in annualized revenue that's roughly 25x sales. And @AnthropicAI is lining up its own IPO next month at up to ~$2T.

I think this pushback is healthy because a trillion dollar valuation should have to earn it. When even @sama's OpenAI has to take a haircut investors are finally doing the math on AI.

Would you buy OpenAI at $1.25T?

The quick version in two pics: $1.4T pitch down to $1.25T, still ~25x sales and way above March. Bargain or still too rich?

Sources: CNBC scoop by Kate Rooney and Ashley Capoot, published Thu Oct 22 2026 4:15pm ET 20:15 UTC · Earliest X posts: @Techmeme 4:24pm ET , @Kr00ney scoop post 4:58pm ET 43.6k impressions · Earliest X posts: @Techmeme 4:24pm ET , @Kr00ney scoop post 4:58pm ET 43.6k impressions · Up to $30B at $1.25T pre money, led by UAE investors and Coatue, an "opportunistic" bridge ahead of a potential IPO: CNB · Up to $30B at $1.25T pre money, led by UAE investors and Coatue, an "opportunistic" bridge ahead of a potential IPO: CNB · Target cut by $150B from the $1.4T pitched earlier in October after investor pushback: Bloomberg via Business Standard ,

Not financial advice. For informational and educational purposes only.