In August 2026, the artificial intelligence industry was shocked by data regarding the growth of one of the market's key players. According to Bloomberg, Anthropic, which is preparing for its initial public offering (IPO), demonstrated explosive growth in financial performance during the second quarter of the current year. Despite legislative restrictions imposed by the "quiet period" for companies that have filed for a listing, information about revenue dynamics leaked to the press, causing a wide resonance.
Financial Leap: From $787 Million to $11.5 Billion
The figures cited by sources indicate an unprecedented speed of business scaling. In the second quarter of 2026, Anthropic's revenue reached $11.5 billion. For comparison: a year ago, in the same period of 2025, this figure did not exceed $787 million. This means that over 12 months, the company increased its revenue more than 14-fold. Even in the first quarter of 2026, the figures were significantly more modest — only $4.73 billion. Such a jump indicates that the bulk of the revenue was generated precisely in the current reporting period, which may indicate the mass adoption of their models by corporate clients.
Race with OpenAI and Market Leader Status
The growth of Anthropic is of strategic importance in the context of competition with OpenAI. As of May 2026, Anthropic's annualized revenue (run rate), calculated by extrapolation, reached $47 billion. This suggests that the startup has already surpassed its main competitor — OpenAI, whose figures are estimated at approximately $40 billion. If these data are confirmed after the company's official stock market debut, Anthropic will become the first public giant in the field of generative AI to outpace its main rival in terms of capitalization and turnover.
The Path to IPO and Operating Profitability
A key factor attracting investors is not only revenue growth but also financial stability. Bloomberg notes that in the second quarter, Anthropic managed to achieve adjusted operating profit. For a tech business with billions of dollars in expenses for computing power and development, this is a critical indicator of the viability of the business model. The company plans to go public in September or October 2026, aiming to beat OpenAI, which is also considering an IPO. Notably, competition with China's DeepSeek in this context is minimal due to the isolation of the Chinese stock market.
Year-End Summary for US IPOs
Anthropic's stock market debut could become a catalyst for the entire initial public offering market. According to Bloomberg estimates, if Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) are excluded, the total capital raised through IPOs in 2026 could reach $256.4 billion. This would be the largest figure since 2021, indicating a return of investor confidence in the technology sector and the market's readiness to finance companies working with artificial intelligence.
Contradictory Data
While the main figures ($11.5 billion for the quarter) are confirmed by several sources, there are nuances in the interpretation of the data. Bloomberg cites "leaks" of information, as Anthropic officially cannot disclose these data during the "quiet period." This means that the figures are preliminary and may be adjusted in the final S-1 report filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Furthermore, the comparison with OpenAI ($40 billion) is based on estimates, as OpenAI is also not a public company and does not disclose its financial statements in full. Thus, the claim of "superiority" over OpenAI currently remains a hypothesis based on indirect data.
