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Usually, no—not as a straightforward public-market purchase of company shares. OpenAI and Anthropic both restrict share transfers, and a seller’s listing or claim of access does not prove that either company has approved a transaction. Some investors may encounter indirect exposure or institutionally arranged private offers, but those are different from buying shares through an ordinary brokerage account. Both companies had taken steps toward possible IPOs by June 2026, but neither had announced a public trading date.
What “buying shares” can mean
A pre-IPO offer may involve company shares, an interest in a special purpose vehicle (SPV), a token, a forward contract, or shares of a fund that holds company stock. Those are not interchangeable. Before paying, establish exactly what legal interest you would receive, whether the company recognizes the transfer, and whether you meet any investor-eligibility requirements.
| Route | What you may own | What is established | Key limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct private-company purchase | Company shares, if a transfer is validly completed | Both companies impose transfer restrictions. OpenAI’s policy and Anthropic’s guidance describe their respective rules. | A seller or marketplace cannot establish company approval on its own. |
| SPV, token, or forward contract | An SPV interest, token, or contractual claim—not necessarily recognized company shares | Both companies warn about such arrangements; Anthropic specifically says it does not permit SPVs to acquire its stock. | The arrangement may not provide recognized ownership or economic value in the company. |
| OpenAI-related ETF | Shares of a publicly traded fund | Axios reported in March 2026 that OpenAI shares were expected to be included in several ARK ETFs. | Fund shares are indirect exposure; holdings and weights can change. |
| Reported OpenAI private placement | Shares acquired in a private transaction | Axios reported that OpenAI sold about $3 billion of shares to individual investors through clients of three large banks. | The report does not establish general public eligibility or current availability. |
| IPO and exchange trading | Publicly traded company shares, if an offering occurs | Anthropic announced a confidential draft S-1 submission, and the Associated Press reported a confidential OpenAI IPO filing in June 2026. | Neither source establishes a confirmed date for public trading. |
Why a private-share listing does not guarantee a valid purchase
OpenAI requires prior written consent
OpenAI says that “All OpenAI equity is subject to transfer restrictions.” Its policy says equity cannot be directly or indirectly transferred unless the seller first obtains OpenAI’s written consent; an attempted transfer that does not comply is void. The policy also identifies sales, SPVs holding equity, tokenized interests, and forward contracts as arrangements that may violate transfer restrictions and securities laws. OpenAI cautions that a transaction may not be recognized or may carry no economic value. Read the OpenAI transfer policy before considering an offer.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesAnthropic does not permit SPVs to acquire its stock
Anthropic says, “We do not permit special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to acquire Anthropic stock and any transfer of shares to an SPV are void under our transfer restrictions.” It also warns that public offers described as direct share sales, forward contracts, tokenized securities, or other mechanisms may involve investments with no value because the transfer is restricted. Its stock-sales and investment-scam guidance is the company’s stated position.
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Forge’s May 2026 article says accredited investors may sometimes access private shares through secondary transactions, depending on seller availability and company approval. That generalized description is not proof that a particular Anthropic listing or transaction has board approval; Anthropic says transfers that lack the required approval are void and unrecognized. See Forge’s Anthropic pre-IPO article alongside Anthropic’s own guidance.
What has been reported about OpenAI access
Axios reported on March 31, 2026, that OpenAI shares were expected to be included in several ARK ETFs and that OpenAI had sold around $3 billion of shares to individual investors in a private placement involving clients of three large banks. That report does not publish eligibility terms, establish that the placement remains available, or show that any member of the public can buy OpenAI stock directly. ETF investors own fund shares, not OpenAI shares in their own names. The details are in Axios’s report.
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OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar described the effort as thinking about access to “the economic upside” as well as the technology. That reported comment is not a promise of open retail access or a change to the company’s transfer rules.
OpenAI’s structure page describes OpenAI Group PBC as a public benefit corporation controlled by the OpenAI Foundation. At the recapitalization closing described on that page, the Foundation held 26%, Microsoft roughly 27%, and current and former employees and investors the remaining 47%. Those figures describe ownership at that closing; they do not create a public channel for purchasing shares. See OpenAI’s structure explanation.
What the confidential IPO filings do—and do not—mean
Anthropic
On June 1, 2026, Anthropic announced that it had confidentially submitted a draft Form S-1 registration statement to the SEC for a proposed IPO. The company said the filing gave it the option to go public after SEC review, subject to market conditions and other factors. It said the number of shares and price had not been set, and that its announcement was not an offer to sell securities or a solicitation to buy them. The Anthropic announcement does not give a public trading date.
OpenAI
The Associated Press reported in June 2026 that OpenAI had confidentially filed IPO paperwork. OpenAI said it had not decided on timing and that it might remain private for a while because some work was easier as a private company. A confidential filing is preparation for a possible offering, not confirmation that an IPO will happen on a particular schedule. See the Associated Press report.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to check a pre-IPO offer before sending money
Anthropic flags pressure tactics, hard-to-trace payment requests, claims of exclusive access, and assertions that transfer restrictions have been bypassed. Its guidance recommends checking official regulatory databases independently. Use a cautious verification process:
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- Identify the asset. Ask whether the offer is for company shares, an SPV interest, a token, a forward contract, or an ETF. Request the governing documents and the name of the issuer or counterparty.
- Verify company approval directly. Do not treat a marketplace page, purported share certificate, or seller assurance as evidence that OpenAI or Anthropic has approved the transfer. For Anthropic, its guidance specifically says SPV transfers are void; for OpenAI, the seller must obtain prior written consent.
- Check the seller and offering independently. Use the relevant official regulatory database and verify the identity and registration or status of the parties where applicable. Do not rely on links or documents supplied only by the person soliciting the investment.
- Stop if the offer is rushed or payment is difficult to trace. Be particularly wary of demands for crypto or wire transfers, claims that an offer is exclusive or guaranteed, or assurances that a structure gets around company restrictions.
- Confirm eligibility and resale terms. A private transaction may have investor-eligibility conditions, limited liquidity, and further transfer restrictions. The reported OpenAI private placement’s general eligibility terms are not established in the cited report.
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