OpenAI's $40 billion funding round has elevated its valuation to $300 billion, making it one of the world's most valuable private companies.
This exclusive club includes Elon Musk's SpaceX, China's ByteDance, and payment processor Stripe.
OpenAI is
set to raise up to $40 billion in a landmark funding round led by SoftBank
Group, valuing the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT at $300
billion, nearly doubling its previous valuation.
OpenAI Secures $40 Billion
Investment Led by SoftBank at $300 Billion Valuation
The
Japanese investment giant has committed to providing $10 billion in mid-April,
with an additional $30 billion planned for December. The December investment is
contingent upon OpenAI successfully transitioning to a for-profit structure by
year-end.
Gil Luria of D.A. Davidson & Co.
“OpenAI
has very ambitious plans on many fronts and needs a lot of capital to achieve
these goals,” industry analyst Gil Luria of D.A. Davidson & Co. commented for Reuters.
SoftBank
intends to syndicate $10 billion of its total investment to other investors.
The remaining funding is expected to come from existing backers including
Microsoft, Coatue Management, Altimeter Capital, and Thrive Capital.
If OpenAI fails to complete
its planned restructuring, SoftBank's total investment will be reduced to $20
billion.
Expanding AI Capabilities
The San
Francisco-based AI developer plans to use the massive capital infusion to
advance its research initiatives, expand computational infrastructure, and
enhance its suite of AI tools. OpenAI highlighted its goal to deliver
increasingly powerful capabilities to the 500 million people who currently use
ChatGPT on a weekly basis.
The funding
comes amid surging investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence
technologies, driven by the widespread adoption of chatbots and the emergence of
sophisticated AI agents across industries. Enterprises have increasingly
integrated AI solutions to streamline operations and improve customer
experiences.
As part of
its growth strategy, OpenAI announced plans to establish a public benefit
corporation structure. This new framework aims to attract additional investment
while balancing shareholder interests with broader public benefits.
The company
is also partnering with SoftBank and Oracle on the ambitious $500 billion
Stargate project, which will establish a network of data centers designed to
power AI workloads across the United States.
Valuation Milestone
The new
funding round, which follows a $6.6 billion raise in October that valued OpenAI
at $157 billion, propels the AI developer into the ranks of the world's most
valuable private companies. This exclusive club includes Elon Musk's SpaceX,
China's ByteDance, and payment processor Stripe.
SoftBank
plans to finance its initial $10 billion investment through borrowings from
Mizuho Bank and other financial institutions, with legal advice provided by
Morrison Foerster.
Musk's Failed OpenAI
Takeover Bid
In
February, Elon Musk led
an ambitious $97.4 billion takeover attempt of OpenAI. Altman promptly
rejected the unsolicited offer, responding with a cheeky counter-proposal to
purchase Musk's X platform for $9.74 billion instead.
The
rejection underscores the intensifying conflict between the two tech titans.
Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but departed following governance
disagreements, has repeatedly criticized the organization for abandoning its
original nonprofit mission. Meanwhile, Altman maintains that transitioning to a
for-profit structure is essential for securing the massive capital needed to
advance AI research and development.
Shortly
after his OpenAI acquisition attempt failed, Musk's
AI company xAI unveiled Grok-3, a significant upgrade to its chatbot platform.
The new model, which xAI claims was trained with ten times more computing power
than its predecessor, features enhanced reasoning capabilities and a new
“DeepSearch” function designed to compete directly with ChatGPT.
According to xAI, Grok-3 outperforms rival models in mathematical reasoning and
complex problem-solving benchmarks.
OpenAI is
set to raise up to $40 billion in a landmark funding round led by SoftBank
Group, valuing the artificial intelligence company behind ChatGPT at $300
billion, nearly doubling its previous valuation.
OpenAI Secures $40 Billion
Investment Led by SoftBank at $300 Billion Valuation
The
Japanese investment giant has committed to providing $10 billion in mid-April,
with an additional $30 billion planned for December. The December investment is
contingent upon OpenAI successfully transitioning to a for-profit structure by
year-end.
Gil Luria of D.A. Davidson & Co.
“OpenAI
has very ambitious plans on many fronts and needs a lot of capital to achieve
these goals,” industry analyst Gil Luria of D.A. Davidson & Co. commented for Reuters.
SoftBank
intends to syndicate $10 billion of its total investment to other investors.
The remaining funding is expected to come from existing backers including
Microsoft, Coatue Management, Altimeter Capital, and Thrive Capital.
If OpenAI fails to complete
its planned restructuring, SoftBank's total investment will be reduced to $20
billion.
Expanding AI Capabilities
The San
Francisco-based AI developer plans to use the massive capital infusion to
advance its research initiatives, expand computational infrastructure, and
enhance its suite of AI tools. OpenAI highlighted its goal to deliver
increasingly powerful capabilities to the 500 million people who currently use
ChatGPT on a weekly basis.
The funding
comes amid surging investor enthusiasm for artificial intelligence
technologies, driven by the widespread adoption of chatbots and the emergence of
sophisticated AI agents across industries. Enterprises have increasingly
integrated AI solutions to streamline operations and improve customer
experiences.
As part of
its growth strategy, OpenAI announced plans to establish a public benefit
corporation structure. This new framework aims to attract additional investment
while balancing shareholder interests with broader public benefits.
The company
is also partnering with SoftBank and Oracle on the ambitious $500 billion
Stargate project, which will establish a network of data centers designed to
power AI workloads across the United States.
Valuation Milestone
The new
funding round, which follows a $6.6 billion raise in October that valued OpenAI
at $157 billion, propels the AI developer into the ranks of the world's most
valuable private companies. This exclusive club includes Elon Musk's SpaceX,
China's ByteDance, and payment processor Stripe.
SoftBank
plans to finance its initial $10 billion investment through borrowings from
Mizuho Bank and other financial institutions, with legal advice provided by
Morrison Foerster.
Musk's Failed OpenAI
Takeover Bid
In
February, Elon Musk led
an ambitious $97.4 billion takeover attempt of OpenAI. Altman promptly
rejected the unsolicited offer, responding with a cheeky counter-proposal to
purchase Musk's X platform for $9.74 billion instead.
The
rejection underscores the intensifying conflict between the two tech titans.
Musk, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015 but departed following governance
disagreements, has repeatedly criticized the organization for abandoning its
original nonprofit mission. Meanwhile, Altman maintains that transitioning to a
for-profit structure is essential for securing the massive capital needed to
advance AI research and development.
Shortly
after his OpenAI acquisition attempt failed, Musk's
AI company xAI unveiled Grok-3, a significant upgrade to its chatbot platform.
The new model, which xAI claims was trained with ten times more computing power
than its predecessor, features enhanced reasoning capabilities and a new
“DeepSearch” function designed to compete directly with ChatGPT.
According to xAI, Grok-3 outperforms rival models in mathematical reasoning and
complex problem-solving benchmarks.
Damian's adventure with financial markets began at the Cracow University of Economics, where he obtained his MA in finance and accounting. Starting from the retail trader perspective, he collaborated with brokerage houses and financial portals in Poland as an independent editor and content manager. His adventure with Finance Magnates began in 2016, where he is working as a business intelligence analyst.
Robinhood Shares Surge 11% as Fintech Seeks Independence From Kalshi in Prediction Markets
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
Marketing in 2026 Audiences, Costs, and Smarter AI
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As brokers eye B2B business and compete with fintechs and crypto exchanges alike, marketers need to act wisely with often limited budgets. AI can offer scalable solutions, but only if used properly.
Join seasoned marketing executives and specialists as they discuss the main challenges they identify in financial services in 2026 and how they address them.
Attendees of this session will walk away with:
- A nuts-and-bolts account of acquisition costs across platforms and geos
- Analysis of today’s multi-layered audience segments and differences in behaviour
- First-hand account of how global brokers balance consistency and local flavour
- Notes from the field about intelligently using AI and automation in marketing
Speakers:
-Yam Yehoshua, Editor-In-Chief at Finance Magnates
-Federico Paderni, Managing Director for Growth Markets in Europe at X
-Jo Benton, Chief Marketing Officer, Consulting | Fractional CMO
-Itai Levitan, Head of Strategy at investingLive
-Roberto Napolitano, CMO at Innovate Finance
-Tony Cross, Director at Monk Communications
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #FintechMarketing #AI #DigitalStrategy #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
-Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention?
Speakers:
-Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT
-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Much like their traders in the market, brokers must diversify to manage risk and stay resilient. But that can get costly, clunky, and lengthy.
This candid panel brings together builders across the trading infrastructure space to uncover the shifting dynamics behind tools, interfaces, and full-stack ambitions.
Attendees will hear:
-Why platform dependency has become one of the most overlooked risks in the trading business?
-Buy vs. build: What do hybrid models look like, and why are industry graveyards filled with failed ‘killer apps’?
-How AI is already changing execution, risk, and reporting—and what’s next?
-Which features, assets, and tools gain the most traction, and where brokers should look for tech-driven retention?
Speakers:
-Stephen Miles, Chief Revenue Officer at FYNXT
-John Morris, Co-Founder at FXBlue
-Matthew Smith, Group Chair & CEO at EC Markets
-Tom Higgins, Founder & CEO at Gold-i
-Gil Ben Hur, Founder at 5% Group
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #Trading #Fintech #FintechInnovation #TradingTechnology #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
Educators, IBs, And Other Regional Growth Drivers
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
When acquisition costs rise and AI generated reviews are exactly as useful as they sound, performing and fair partners can make or break brokers.
This session looks at how these players are shaping access, trust and user engagement, and what the most effective partnership models look like in 2025.
Key Themes:
- Building trader communities through education and local expertise
- Aligning broker incentives with long-term regional strategies
- Regional regulation and the realities of compliant acquisition
- What’s next for performance-driven partnerships in online trading
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Zander Van Der Merwe, Key Individual & Head of Sales at TD Markets
-Brunno Huertas, Regional Manager – Latin America at Tickmill
-Paul Chalmers, CEO at UK Trading Academy
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #BrokerGrowth #FintechPartnerships #RegionalMarkets
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
The Leap to Everything App: Are Brokers There Yet?
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the arms race to bundle investing, personal finance, and wallets under super apps grows fiercer, brokers are caught between a rock and a hard place.
This session explores unexpected ways for industry players to collaborate as consumer habits evolve, competitors eye the traffic, and regulation becomes more nuanced.
Speakers:
-Laura McCracken,CEO | Advisory Board Member at Blackheath Advisors | The Payments Association
-Slobodan Manojlović,Vice President | Lead Software Engineer at JP Morgan Chase & Co.
-Jordan Sinclair, President at Robinhood UK
-Simon Pelletier, Head of Product at Yuh
Gerald Perez, CEO at Interactive Brokers UK
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #Innovation
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
Mind The Gap: Can Retail Investors Save the UK Stock Market?
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
As the dire state of listing and investment in the UK goes from a financial services problem to a national challenge, the retail investing industry is taken to task.
Join a host of executives and experts for a candid conversation about the future of millions of Brits, as seen from a financial services standpoint:
-Are they happy with the Leeds Reform, in principle and in practice?
-Is it the government’s job to affect the ‘saver’ mentality? Is it doing well?
-What can brokers and fintechs do to spur UK investment?
-How can the FCA balance greater flexibility with consumer protection?
Speakers:
-Adam Button, Chief Currency Analyst at investingLive
-Nicola Higgs, Partner at Latham & Watkins
-Dan Lane, Investment Content Lead at Robinhood UK
-Jack Crone, PR & Public Affairs Lead at IG
-David Belle, Founder at Fink Money
#fmls #fmls25 #fmevents #Brokers #FinanceLeadership #Trading #Fintech #RetailInvesting #UKFinance
Connect with us at:
🔗 LinkedIn: / financemagnates-events
👍 Facebook: / financemagnatesevents
📸 Instagram: / fmevents_official
🐦 Twitter: / f_m_events
🎥 TikTok: / fmevents_official
