Anthropic updates list of firms accused of unauthorized share transactions

Anthropic, an AI startup, revised its warning about unauthorized trading of its shares, cutting the list of named platforms from eight to four. In a blog post, the company had previously stated that transactions involving its stock through the eight firms would not be recognized and would be considered void. The update follows investor confusion and criticism from Hiive, one of the originally listed platforms, which denied facilitating unauthorized transfers without Anthropic’s approval. The original warning applied to both common and preferred shares, with Anthropic stating that any sale or transfer through those firms would not appear on its official records. The four platforms now named in the revised notice are Open Door Partners, Unicorns Exchange, Pachamama, and Upmarket. Hiive, which was removed from the updated list, publicly challenged Anthropic’s claims. Hiive CEO Sim Desai wrote on LinkedIn that the platform does not facilitate share transfers without the company’s approval. Desai expressed regret that Anthropic did not consult Hiive before publishing the original warning, which he said caused confusion among investors and damaged Hiive’s reputation. The revision comes amid heightened demand for shares of leading AI companies in private markets. Anthropic’s initial warning drew attention to the complexities of secondary share trading in private markets, where transactions often lack regulatory oversight. The updated notice aims to clarify the company’s stance while addressing concerns raised by investors and trading platforms.