OpenAI Valuation Soars to $500B on MGX’s $6.6B Boost

Abu Dhabi-based investor MGX has bought OpenAI shares through a secondary stock sale worth USD 6.6 billion, valuing it at USD 500 billion. The deal involved current and former employees selling stock to investors, such as Thrive Capital, SoftBank, Dragoneer Investment Group, T. Rowe Price, and MGX.

The secondary sale of ChatGPT shares is part of an authorised USD 10 billion allocation, allowing insiders, especially employees, to liquidate holdings. It follows a prior 2024 round that valued OpenAI at USD 157 billion, in which MGX also participated.

Also Read: UAE’s MGX Set to Invest in OpenAI

In the first half of 2025, it is reported that USD 4.3 billion in revenue, approximately 16% higher than that of 2024. Analysts say that despite its rapid scaling, OpenAI continues to burn billions in R&D and infrastructure, echoing trends of high-growth AI firms globally.

UAE’s MGX Strengthens AI

AI leadership has built strong ties with the UAE. CEO Sam Altman visited Abu Dhabi earlier this year to explore fundraising and recently met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. For MGX, backed by Mubadala and G42, its growing involvement aligns with its investment focus on AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and frontier technologies.

Why it Matters for MENA

The MGX-OpenAI tie-up is a signal of how capital from the Middle East is flowing into global AI powerhouses. For the MENA startup ecosystem it demonstrates:

• A regional investor is gaining a stake in the world’s most influential AI firm.
• The UAE is positioning itself as a serious AI innovation hub.
• The chance for Gulf firms to build credibility and partnerships by being linked to OpenAI.

This deal doesn’t just showcase investment; it reflects how OpenAI’s global rise is shaping MENA’s digital economy strategy.