Anthropic warns investors against secondary platforms offering access to its shares

In a recent update, Anthropic has taken a firm stance against various private and secondary investment platforms that are falsely claiming to offer shares of the AI company. The company specifically called out several firms, including Open Doors Partners, Unicorns Exchange, Pachamama Capital, Lionheart Ventures, Hiive, Forge Global, Sydecar, and Upmarket, stating that these entities do not have authorization to facilitate the buying or selling of Anthropic shares. Anthropic emphasized that any transactions involving its stock proposed by these companies are invalid and will not be recognized in their financial records. The warning comes amid a surge in interest in AI companies, with investors eager to capitalize on the booming sector. Reports suggest that Anthropic, rumored to be seeking new funding at an impressive $900 billion valuation, has become one of the most sought-after stocks, making it particularly hard to source in the secondary market. In response to being named in Anthropic’s warning, Forge Global contested the claim, asserting that their inclusion was a mistake. The platform communicated to TechCrunch that they are actively collaborating with Anthropic to have their name removed from the alert, emphasizing that they do not process transactions for any private company shares without explicit consent from the respective company. The rising trend of investment platforms providing access to AI companies’ shares often involves secondary markets, where current shareholders may sell their equity. These transactions can include 'tokenized' securities and special purpose vehicles (SPVs), which allow investors a chance to acquire shares in entities with stakes in Anthropic. However, Anthropic has made it clear that any share transfer or sale not sanctioned by its board of directors is deemed invalid. Furthermore, the company reiterated that it does not permit SPVs to acquire its stock, and any attempts to do so are void under its transfer restrictions. Consequently, any offers to invest in Anthropic through SPVs—whether related to past or future financial rounds—are strictly prohibited. With the market buzzing around AI investments, Anthropic's decisive actions aim to protect its shareholders from potential fraud and misrepresentation.