OpenAI Employees Sell $6.6 Billion in Shares, Averaging $11 Million Each

OpenAI remains privately held, making employee shares difficult to monetize directly. The company therefore uses tender offers to arrange for investors to buy the stock. Such internal transactions provide employees with liquidity, support talent retention and reflect demand for OpenAI shares. They are also seen as an important gauge of the company’s pre-IPO capital activity.

OpenAI completed a $6.6 billion employee share sale in October 2025, with more than 600 people participating and average proceeds of about $11 million each. Strong investor demand prompted the company to raise the individual sale limit from $10 million to $30 million, with 75 employees reaching the cap.