We could soon see an Anthropic IPO, giving investors another major artificial intelligence company to watch. The company behind Claude has filed to go public and plans to list on the Nasdaq under the ticker “ANT.” For investors eager to own a piece of the AI industry, that puts a potential new opportunity on the horizon.
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Of course, an exciting company doesn’t automatically make for an attractive investment at any price. SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) has demonstrated to investors the volatility that can happen after a company goes public. A similar story is in place with SK hynix (NASDAQ: SKHY).
Investors will need to weigh Anthropic growth potential against its valuation, spending needs, and competition. And if enthusiasm sends shares soaring when trading begins, buying into that excitement could prove expensive.
Fortunately, waiting to buy Anthropic shares directly isn’t the only approach worth considering. Investors can also explore funds that own newly public companies or funds with exposure to private businesses before they reach the stock market. These offer different ways to participate in the broader IPO theme, depending on their holdings and investment rules.
Anthropic Isn’t the Only Potential IPO to Watch in 2026
Anthropic isn’t the only private company attracting attention ahead of a potential 2026 IPO. OpenAI and Databricks are also among the high-profile names investors are watching as they look for the next major artificial intelligence listing.
Unlike publicly traded companies such as NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR), these private businesses don’t yet offer investors the same direct access through ordinary stock-market purchases. Anthropic’s proposed Nasdaq ticker, ANT, could make it easier to follow the company if its listing proceeds, but investors should distinguish announced plans from a completed IPO.
For investors looking to position themselves for the next wave of IPOs in 2026, funds focused on newly public companies or private-market innovation may offer alternative ways to gain exposure.
With that in mind, here are three funds worth a closer look.
First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF (FPX): Broad IPO Exposure
With an expense ratio of 0.61%, the First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF (NYSEARCA: FPX) tracks hot IPOs, giving investors access to new stocks during their initial, most crucial days on the market. By buying it, not only can you avoid paying gobs of money for IPOs that may or may not work out, but you’re also being exposed to multiple hot IPOs at the same time at a lower cost.
Even with its share of high-profile IPO disappointments, FPX has delivered strong long-term gains, climbing from around $11 in 2009 to recent highs near $169. The key advantage is simple: whether individual IPOs succeed or fail, the overall excitement and capital inflows into the IPO market tend to support the ETF over time.
With the FPX, it doesn’t matter if the stock is hot or a dud; the excitement surrounding IPOs continues to send the FPX to new highs.
Renaissance IPO ETF (IPO): Diversified Exposure to New Stocks
With an expense ratio of 0.6%, the Renaissance IPO ETF (NYSEARCA: IPO) provides “investors with the largest, most liquid US-listed newly public company stocks in one security, reducing the risk of single-stock ownership while avoiding overlap with major core indices for optimal diversification across markets and time,” as noted by Renaissance Capital.
Since November 2023, the ETF rallied from a low of about $30 to its current price of $48.38. From here, we’d eventually like to see the ETF rally back to $60 a share.
Fundrise Innovation Fund (VCX): Private AI Investment Exposure
At the moment, AI accounts for about 44% of the Fundrise Innovation Fund (NYSE: VCX) portfolio and data infrastructure 23%, with the remainder invested in fintech, aerospace, gaming, software, and healthcare. The strong demand for VCX comes as its top holdings, such as Anthropic, Databricks, and OpenAI, are expected to go public this year.
How to Invest Around the Anthropic IPO Without Buying Shares Directly
An Anthropic IPO could give investors another way to participate in the growth of artificial intelligence. But there’s no need to rush into a stock simply because its debut attracts attention. The price you pay and the business performance behind it will matter long after the opening-day excitement fades.
Funds such as FPX, IPO, and the Fundrise Innovation Fund offer different approaches to this opportunity. Before investing, look closely at what each fund actually owns, its fees, and how it fits your goals. Exposure to newly public companies is different from owning a stake in Anthropic. The aim is to find an investment that makes sense even after the headlines move on.
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