Top News

How Sam Altman became billionaire without OpenAI shares
14 May 2026

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, has become a multi-billionaire despite not holding any equity in the company he leads.

The revelation came during the ongoing trial between Elon Musk and OpenAI.

Documents presented by Musk's legal team revealed that Altman has more than $2 billion in personal investments in companies directly doing business with OpenAI.

Major stakes in several companies
Investment portfolio

The documents revealed that Altman has large stakes in nine companies, including Helion Energy, Stripe, and Retro Biosciences.

His investment in Helion Energy, a fusion power company, is worth $1.7 billion.

OpenAI had signed a deal with Helion in 2024 to purchase future energy from them.

Other notable investments by Altman
Business connections

Altman also has a $633 million stake in Stripe, a payments giant that provides financial software for OpenAI.

He has invested $258 million in Retro Biosciences, an anti-aging company with established deals with the AI giant.

Other notable investments include chipmaker Cerebras ($3.2 million stake), AI device maker Humane, and Reddit (which Altman sold by the end of 2025 after a major content partnership was signed with OpenAI).

Allegations of self-dealing and conflicts of interest
Legal implications

Altman's extensive investments have led to allegations of "self-dealing."

Musk's lead lawyer, Steven Molo, claimed Altman had an "obvious conflict" by negotiating with companies like Reddit and Helion while potentially profiting from their success.

However, Altman denied these allegations under oath and testified that he followed "standard corporate recusal" procedures by stepping out of the room during final votes and not signing the agreements himself.

US government scrutinizes Altman's financial web
Regulatory scrutiny

The US government has also taken note of the financial complexity of Altman's wealth.

According to Reuters, 10 state attorneys general have asked the Securities and Exchange Commission to examine OpenAI's documents ahead of its upcoming IPO.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform has sought information on OpenAI's internal policies to prevent conflicts of interest.