Evening digest: $100B OpenAI deal, oil tensions, Bitcoin jitters

Thursday evening’s headlines spanned blockbuster fundraising, geopolitical risk, legal pressure and fragile crypto sentiment.

OpenAI is reportedly nearing completion of a historic financing round that could exceed $100 billion, while oil surged on renewed US-Iran tensions.

Apple faces a fresh lawsuit over child safety claims, and Bitcoin’s slide triggered a spike in “going to zero” searches, underscoring how quickly investor nerves can resurface in volatile markets across tech, energy and digital assets.

OpenAI near completing a $100B funding round

OpenAI is in the final stages of the first tranche of financing that could raise more than $100 billion, Bloomberg reported, a sum that would dwarf any previous private fundraising.

The ChatGPT maker is discussing terms that keep its pre-money valuation around $730 billion, with the post-money figure potentially topping $850 billion once the capital is in, the report said.

Strategic corporate investors are expected to anchor the initial phase, with allocations slated to be settled by the end of February.

Terms are not final and could still change materially.

Oil soars amid fresh US-Iran tensions

Oil prices jumped on Thursday after President Donald Trump said he would decide within “probably 10 days” whether the United States strikes Iran or pursues a deal.

US crude was up about 2.4% at $66.77 a barrel and Brent gained about 2% to $71.91.

The rally reflects a geopolitical risk premium that analysts have pegged around $7–$10 a barrel as traders weigh the chance of US action and possible Israeli involvement.

Even so, the market is largely assuming no major disruption to flows through the Strait of Hormuz, which handles about 20% of global oil volumes in normal daily trade.

Apple faces a fresh lawsuit

West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey sued Apple on Thursday, alleging the company failed to stop child sexual abuse material from being stored and shared via iCloud and iOS devices.

The lawsuit, filed in Mason County Circuit Court, seeks statutory and punitive damages plus an injunction forcing Apple to adopt more effective detection and safer product designs.

McCuskey said Apple put privacy marketing ahead of child safety and cited internal discussions that labelled iCloud a leading platform for distributing illegal images.

Apple said it is committed to safety and privacy, highlighting parental controls and Communication Safety features in its ecosystem.

Bitcoin 'going to zero' search spike

Google searches for “Bitcoin going to zero” spiked this week as the world’s largest cryptocurrency slid back toward the mid-$60,000s, underscoring how quickly retail nerves return when prices dip.

Bitcoin briefly traded near $65,000 as it struggled to regain the $70,000 level, with the move reigniting doomsday chatter that tends to flare up during drawdowns.

The jump in search interest is being read as a sentiment signal rather than a fundamental shift, but it highlights the market’s fragile mood after months of volatility.

Analysts said positioning and headline risk are amplifying day-to-day swings, leaving traders focused on key support around $65,000.