Twitter, the messaging web site that has become an Internet sensation, is nearing a deal to close as much as $100m (€68m) of new funding from as many as seven investors, according to people familiar with the deal.

The investor group includes mutual fund giant T Rowe Price and private equity firm Insight Venture Partners, which are new investors to Twitter. The $100m investment is about twice as much as Twitter was reportedly expected to haul in this latest round of fundraising.