Anthropic Names CommSec and Seven Other Brokers for Australian IPO Retail Offer

Anthropic has named eight brokers and financial intermediaries that are expected to handle an Australian retail offer as part of its proposed initial public offering. The company published the list on its Claude Help Center page about international retail brokers and selling agents.

The eight Australian firms are Bell Potter, CommSec, LGT Wealth, Macquarie, Morgans, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, Sharesies and Stake. Anthropic says it has not authorised any other firm or platform in Australia to offer, or advertise access to, shares in the proposed retail offer, and that it will update the page if the list changes.

How the offer would work

According to Anthropic's disclosure, if the IPO goes ahead the Australian retail offer would consist of newly issued Class A shares. It would be made under an Australian prospectus to be lodged with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). The prospectus will be posted at ipo.anthropic.com once the offer opens. Investors would have to apply using the application form in or with that prospectus and follow their broker's instructions. Anthropic stresses that the current notice is not an offer, invitation or recommendation to buy shares.

Anthropic says it has applied to list its Class A stock on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker "ANT" and will not apply to list on the Australian Securities Exchange. Australian retail buyers would therefore be buying shares that trade in the US.

Local roles

Bloomberg, as reported by AI Affairs, said Macquarie's capital-raising arm is expected to lead the Australian offer, while CommSec leads its retail marketing. The Nightly reported that CommSec has emailed customers asking them to open the international shares account they would need to apply. CommSec warned that opening an account guarantees neither participation nor an allocation. According to the same report, applicants would also need an existing CommSec Australian shares account and a Commonwealth Direct Investment Account in the same name. The email notes that CommSec's parent, Commonwealth Bank, already owns Anthropic shares, and says CommSec will manage any conflicts of interest under its policies.

What is still unknown

Anthropic has not disclosed the size of the Australian allocation, an offer price or an opening date. The Nightly reported that the float could raise up to US$100 billion, but said the company has not confirmed the offer size or price.

The Australian offer is one of several. Anthropic's page also lists expected retail offers in Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Switzerland and nine European Economic Area countries: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden. The company says it does not currently intend to list its shares on any exchange in those international markets.