TL;DR
OpenAI received about $11 billion on Nov. 6 as the first close of a funding round valuing the company at $1.25 trillion before the new money, according to Bloomberg and CNBC. CNBC reported that OpenAI could raise up to another $9 billion, but the round remains open and the final amount and investor list have not been disclosed by the company.
OpenAI received about $11 billion on November 6 as the first close of a funding round valuing the ChatGPT maker at $1.25 trillion before the new investment, Bloomberg reported, with CNBC separately confirming the close. The amount is below earlier reports that the company was seeking at least $30 billion, while the round remains open and could bring in additional money.
Get business pricing on office and shipping supplies
- Business-only prices and quantity discounts
- Tax-exempt purchasing
- Multiple users, one account, clear invoices
Bloomberg reported that the first-close funds had been wired on November 6, citing people familiar with the matter. CNBC said it independently confirmed the approximately $11 billion figure and reported that OpenAI could raise up to another $9 billion in the coming weeks. That would bring the round to about $20 billion if the additional amount is raised; it is not a completed total.
OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar told CNBC that the round was ongoing and that the $1.25 trillion valuation was pre-money, meaning it excludes the new investment. Her interview is the on-record account cited in the source material. OpenAI declined to comment on the funding, according to 24/7 Wall St., and the company has not published a full investor list or individual contribution amounts.
Investor participation has been reported but not confirmed in a company announcement. Bloomberg, as relayed by Verdict, reported that Coatue Management and T. Rowe Price contributed to the first close. Other reported participants include SoftBank, Founders Fund, Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz and backers from the United Arab Emirates. Gulf News also reported participation by SoftBank and MGX.
A Smaller Raise, Still at Scale
The gap between the earlier reported target and the first close is substantial: about $11 billion has arrived, compared with reports that OpenAI initially sought $30 billion or more. The round is not finished, however, and CNBC’s report of up to $9 billion in possible additional funding means the final amount could be higher. The available reporting does not establish why particular investors contributed, declined or changed their commitments.
The valuation remains exceptionally large, but its comparison with previous rounds needs care. OpenAI announced a $852 billion post-money valuation in March 2026; Friar described the current $1.25 trillion figure as pre-money. Adding the reported $11 billion first close would put the current round’s post-money value at roughly $1.261 trillion, if the figures are comparable and no other adjustments apply. That is about 48% above $852 billion. The source material also reports Friar characterizing the price as almost 50% above March. These comparisons reflect private-company funding valuations, not a public market price.
For companies and users relying on OpenAI products, a large financing round may affect expectations about the company’s ability to fund expansion and compete in AI. The reports do not specify how the proceeds will be spent or what operational commitments they support. The financing figures alone do not show whether OpenAI’s products will change, or how the funding will affect customers.
Products Worth Considering
Dell UltraSharp U2424H 24-Inch FHD Monitor
Logitech MX Master 4 for Mac Wireless Ergonomic Mouse, White Silver
Samsung 32 Odyssey G5 (G51F) QHD 180Hz Gaming Monitor
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
From March’s $852 Billion Valuation
OpenAI announced three earlier funding rounds cited in the source material: $6.6 billion in October 2024 at a $157 billion post-money valuation; $40 billion in March 2025 at $300 billion post-money; and $122 billion in March 2026 at $852 billion post-money. The latest reported round differs in that Friar described its valuation as pre-money, so a direct comparison should account for the new investment.
The reported targets also shifted over time. Bloomberg reported that OpenAI had been seeking $30 billion or more at a $1.4 trillion valuation. Reuters, citing two investors, reported an earlier asking valuation of $1.5 trillion. Friar disputed the higher figure in her CNBC interview, according to the source material. The reports do not provide a single agreed account of the initial valuation target.
Market and policy factors were cited as context for investor caution. Bloomberg and CNBC reported concerns about the scale of AI spending and possible obstacles to new data centers; the reports also connected those concerns to the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. The available information does not quantify how much, if at all, these factors affected the round’s size or terms.
Final Funding and Terms Remain Open
The final size of the round is not known. CNBC reported that OpenAI could raise up to another $9 billion, but the source material does not confirm that this additional funding has closed. Nor does it provide a deadline for the round to finish.
OpenAI has not released a complete list of investors, the amounts each contributed, or detailed terms beyond Friar’s account of the valuation basis. Reports differ on the earlier valuation OpenAI sought, and Friar disputed the $1.5 trillion figure attributed to Reuters’ sources. The reasons the first close was smaller than the earlier reported target have not been established by the available reporting.
More Closes Could Change the Total
The next reported milestone is whether OpenAI raises some or all of the additional amount of up to $9 billion CNBC said could arrive in the coming weeks. A further close would change the round’s total and its post-money valuation. The source material gives no confirmed date for an update or for the round’s completion.
Further company disclosures or reporting could clarify the final amount, participants and terms. Until then, the $11 billion is the reported first close, the $1.25 trillion figure is the pre-money valuation Friar gave CNBC, and the final fundraising outcome remains unsettled.
Key Questions
How much did OpenAI raise in the first close?
Bloomberg reported that OpenAI received about $11 billion on November 6, 2026, and CNBC said it independently confirmed that amount. It is the reported first close, not a confirmed final total.
What does the $1.25 trillion valuation refer to?
OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar told CNBC the figure was pre-money, meaning it refers to the valuation before the new investment is added. The source material notes that one CNBC text reference said “$1.25 billion,” apparently a typo; other cited reporting gives $1.25 trillion.
Could the round raise more than $11 billion?
Yes. CNBC reported that OpenAI could raise up to another $9 billion in the coming weeks. The source material does not confirm that any of this additional amount has closed.
Why was the amount raised smaller than earlier reports?
The source material does not establish a definitive reason. Bloomberg and CNBC reported investor caution about AI spending and concerns about potential obstacles to new data centers, but they do not quantify those factors’ effect on OpenAI’s fundraising.
Source: Thorsten Meyer AI
