Filing: Anthropic plans to raise up to $3.5B from Japanese investors as part of its IPO, joining Australia, Canada, and parts of Europe in having direct access (Yasutaka Tamura/Bloomberg)

Anthropic, an artificial intelligence startup, plans to raise up to US$3.5 billion in its initial public offering, with Japanese investors set to play a significant role. This marks a rare offering for the market, which has experienced a 14-year low in first-time offerings. The share sale, which will take place in the US, will provide the company with working capital and funds for operating expenses and capital expenditure.

Australian, Canadian, and European investors will also have the opportunity to purchase shares. The funding of this IPO is being managed by Mizuho Securities, with Goldman Sachs Group, Mitsubishi UFJ Morgan Stanley Securities, and Morgan Stanley MUFG Securities handling investor orders. The size of the IPO remains undisclosed, but some estimates suggest a valuation of around US$1.5 trillion.

Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group are among the underwriters of this deal. As major players like Meta Platforms and Alphabet prepare to raise substantial funds, Anthropic's IPO will serve as a benchmark for investor interest in AI-related shares.