Anthropic's $965 Billion Valuation, Manhattan HQ, and October IPO: The Complete 2026 Guide

However, in late May 2026, the most authoritative valuation anchor was set. On May 28, 2026, Anthropic closed a $65 billion Series H funding round at a $965 billion post-money valuation, led by Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer, Greenoaks, and Sequoia Capital ^TA. A Zacks report the same week characterized it as "nearly $1 trillion" ^Z.

Key caveat: Secondary market pricing on thinly traded platforms can reflect speculative froth and may not match the clearing price of an IPO. The $965 billion primary round is the most authoritative valuation anchor ^ZT.

Anthropic vs. OpenAI: The Valuation Showdown

The competition between the two AI leaders is most apparent in their valuations. Here is how they compare:

On the secondary market, Anthropic has overtaken OpenAI in implied valuation ^TBT. However, OpenAI's last confirmed primary valuation is $852B, and it raised more total capital ($122B) ^BO. While both have confidentially filed for an IPO, OpenAI is reportedly leaning toward waiting until 2027, while Anthropic is targeting an October 2026 listing ^N.

Anthropic's Own Meteoric Rise

Anthropic's own funding trajectory is staggering. From a $380 billion Series G in February 2026, the company jumped to a $965 billion Series H in late May—a 2.5x increase in roughly four months ^TAL. This reflects extraordinary demand for AI equity ahead of a public listing.

New York Expansion and the Manhattan Lease

Anthropic is making a major real estate bet on New York City as part of its growth strategy.

The Building

The company signed a long-term lease for the entire 16-story, ~465,630-square-foot office building at 330 Hudson Street in Manhattan's Hudson Square neighborhood ^IDT. The building is owned by AEW Capital Management ^TC. The space has room for more than 1,700 desks ^D.

The Workforce

The company plans to double its NYC headcount to 1,000 employees by the end of 2026, up from fewer than 500 at the start of the year ^IN. The New York office was already its largest outside its San Francisco headquarters ^D.

The Context

Anthropic had been seeking 250,000–450,000 square feet as of January 2026 ^BB. The 330 Hudson lease, at roughly 465,000 square feet, is at the high end of that range. The move is part of a broader AI boom in New York City ^BD.

IPO Timeline and Banking Consortium

Anthropic is laying the groundwork for what could be the largest tech IPO in history ^Y.

The Secret Filing

Anthropic submitted a draft registration statement confidentially to the SEC on June 1, 2026, giving the company the option to go public after the SEC completes its review ^TT.

The Target

The company is targeting an IPO as early as October 2026 ^BFT. The offering could potentially raise more than $60 billion from public investors ^TY.

The Bankers

• Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are the two lead left bookrunners ^BOT.
• JPMorgan Chase is also on the deal in a supporting role ^BTF.
• More banks could be added to the consortium in the future ^F.

The Race

The IPO race is explicitly against OpenAI, which has also confidentially filed but is reportedly leaning toward a 2027 timeline ^N. Internal tensions at OpenAI exist between the CFO, who prefers 2027, and CEO Sam Altman, who is pushing for 2026 ^NY. Anthropic is racing to be the first major foundation-model AI company to go public ^B.