Anthropic, the U.S.-based startup behind the Claude family of large language models, is in preliminary discussions to raise a new funding round at an implied valuation exceeding $150 billion, more than doubling its existing $61.5 billion valuation from March 2025
Funding Targets and Pipeline
Reports indicate that Anthropic aims to secure between $3 billion and $5 billion in fresh capital. If successful, the round would revalue FTX’s former 8% stake—from approximately $1.3 billion to over $12 billion
Investment interest is reportedly strong from Middle Eastern sovereign-capital vehicles, particularly Abu Dhabi’s AI fund MGX—marking a shift from previous reluctance due to ethical concerns voiced by CEO Dario Amodei
Strategic Drivers
Anthropic’s valuation surge reflects rapid commercial growth: its annualized recurring revenue rose from $1 billion to over $4 billion in 2025, led by enterprise subscriptions powering tasks such as AI coding assistance and business automation Financial Times.
Despite its revenue jump, the company remains unprofitable, grappling with high infrastructure and talent costs in the fierce race against competitors like OpenAI, xAI, and Google
Industry Significance
If finalized, this funding round would firmly place Anthropic among the most highly valued private AI firms globally. It would deepen its lead in developing safe, alignment-focused AI while fueling international expansion, compute capacity scaling, and hiring of top researchers
The round builds on a $3.5 billion Series E led by Lightspeed Venture Partners in March 2025, which established its then $61.5 billion valuation
Challenges and Ethical Considerations
Anthropic has historically avoided direct funding from Gulf sovereign entities over ethical concerns. Dario Amodei allegedly warned that “no bad person should ever benefit from our success,” though internal messages suggest limits on strict funding exclusions amid capital pressures
Moreover, industry analysts note that such high valuations raise questions about future profitability, governance, and valuation sustainability in a competitive and increasingly regulated AI landscape.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Current Valuation | $61.5 billion (post-Series E, March 2025) |
| Target Valuation | Over $150 billion |
| Funding Sought | $3 billion to $5 billion |
| Major Investors Interested | MGX / Abu Dhabi sovereign capital |
| Revenue Growth | From $1 billion to over $4 billion (2025 annualized) |
| Core Business Model | Enterprise AI subscriptions and Claude LLM deployment |
| Main Challenges | Cash burn, profitability, ethical funding choices, investor perception |
Why It Matters
Anthropic’s push toward a $150 billion valuation reflects investor confidence in its AI capabilities, especially in safety, governance, and enterprise use cases. By tapping new funding sources amid intense competition, Anthropic seeks to solidify its position as a global leader in responsible AI.
The new round also underscores the growing influence of sovereign and non-traditional capital in shaping the future of AI companies—raising new governance dilemmas and public scrutiny.
Bottom Line
Anthropic is poised for a major leap, targeting a valuation above $150 billion through a potential $3–5 billion funding round. If executed, this move would reaffirm its role as a top-tier AI venture while highlighting the geopolitical and financial complexities at play.
