Anthropic walks away from $6B Decart deal, faces subscription lawsuit and IPO delay hints

Bloomberg reported that Anthropic is abandoning its planned $6 billion purchase of Decart AI, according to people familiar with the matter, ending weeks of speculation about the deal and leaving the startup independent for now. The move comes amid a broader strategic shift as the firm readies one of the largest initial public offerings in the AI sector , with one market commentator flagging that Anthropic still needs to finalize a $15 billion revolving credit facility ahead of the listing .

Adding pressure, a group of Claude subscribers has filed an expanded class-action lawsuit alleging the company deceptively marketed the limits of its premium Max subscription tier, claiming they received fewer benefits than promised . The lawsuit is being pursued by former FTC attorneys, highlighting growing regulatory scrutiny of AI service providers.

Analysts could view the abandonment of the Decart acquisition as a signal that Anthropic is prioritizing its IPO preparation and capital structure over expansion through M&A. Hints of a postponement of the IPO beyond October underscore the challenges of aligning financing, compute spend, and legal risks before going public .

Investors may want to watch whether Anthropic can close its revolving credit line, resolve the subscription lawsuit, and set a definitive IPO timeline. The outcome could shape expectations for AI startups seeking public market funding and may influence how other firms structure premium subscription offerings.