The investing world is once again abuzz with an impending initial public offering (IPO) of titanic, blockbuster proportions. Artificial intelligence (AI) giant Anthropic is fast heading towards the American public markets. We don't yet have a final date set in stone for the float. But most sources predict it will happen sometime this month. Or at least by the end of the year.
It is the second monster IPO of 2026, following the mega-float of Elon Musk's SpaceX back in June. Once Anthropic goes pubic, the US markets are set to host two new companies within the top ten by year's end. Both with market capitalisations well north of US$1 trillion (assuming everything goes to plan for Anthropic).
Normally, an American IPO is a chance for ASX investors to just get the popcorn out and watch what happens across the Pacific. However, SpaceX started a new trend that has opened up this kind of IPO directly to investors all over the world. Including here in Australia. In SpaceX's case, certain ASX brokers, including the uber-popular CommSec, were permitted to offer ASX investors direct participation in the IPO. That means Australian investors could apply to be allocated SpaceX shares ahead of their market debut.
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Which ASX brokers are offering the Anthropic IPO?
It seems something similar will happen with Anthropic. The company's own website lists no fewer than eight ASX brokers that will reportedly offer direct Anthropic IPO participation to Australian investors. These brokers are headlined by CommSec, naturally. However, they also include Bell Potter, LGT Wealth, Macquarie, Morgans, Morgan Stanley, Sharesies, and Stake.
If you're an ASX investor who uses one of these platforms, I wouldn't be surprised if you have already received an 'exclusive' offer to buy Anthropic shares at IPO.
So it seems there will be more than a few Australians who will own Anthropic, or 'ANT' (to be the company's ticker code) shares, by the end of 2026. Of course, the merits of buying this company at IPO are debatable. You can read about my own position on this prospect here.
However, even if you don't participate in Anthropic's IPO, chances are your own personal wealth will be tied up in some way to this company before too long. How? Well, as we discussed earlier, it seems Anthropic is headed for a US$1 trillion-plus valuation and a top ten position on the US markets. That means that any US-based, or even globally-based, index fund will soon be compelled to stake out an Anthropic position. This usually happens 12 months after an IPO. That, in turn, means that the vast majority of Australian superannuation funds will soon hold Anthropic shares within them. Just as they will with SpaceX shares.
It seems that most Australian investors will soon be tied to Anthropic, one way or another.
