When real estate prices soar to over $2 million, it seems almost anything could replace cash as the currency of choice. In San Francisco, some are now listing properties for Anthropic or OpenAI shares instead of dollars.

The unconventional listings have sparked a peculiar fascination among buyers and sellers alike. Rachel Swann, who listed 160 Noe Street with Anthropic shares, believes tech workers can use their paper wealth to buy homes, despite lacking immediate liquidity.

One homeowner, Vijay Chattha, offers his Healdsburg home for $2 million in Anthropic stock and a $500,000 discount for employees. He argues the rapid growth of the company makes these shares a better investment than traditional real estate.

This trend comes as Anthropic prepares for an IPO that could see its valuation skyrocket. Tech insiders are eager to cash in, or at least secure a slice of the pie now before it gets much bigger.

While escrow companies cannot deal with securities, these listings continue to attract interest from potential buyers and sellers alike. The gimmick may be clever, but it’s clear Anthropic shares have become one of San Francisco's hottest commodities.