Discord in Early Talks With Bankers for Potential I.P.O.
The New York Times
The app has become a mainstay of the video game community and young internet users.
Discord, the social chat app popular with the video game community, has met with investment bankers in recent weeks to discuss preparations for an initial public offering as soon as this year, two people familiar with the talks said.
An I.P.O. of a well-known technology company could provide a much-needed jolt for private companies weighing public listings. Market volatility caused by an uncertain economy, along with strong valuations for privately held companies, has led to a slow start for the I.P.O. market this year.
Discord was last valued by private investors in 2021 at roughly $15 billion.
The people, who requested anonymity because the conversations are confidential, cautioned that the talks were still exploratory and that I.P.O. plans remained subject to change.
A spokesperson for Discord said on Wednesday: “We understand there is a lot of interest around Discord’s future plans, but we do not comment on rumors or speculation. Our focus remains on delivering the best possible experience for our users and building a strong, sustainable business.”
Other companies are preparing to go public despite growing turbulence in the financial markets. CoreWeave, a provider of cloud computing services for artificial intelligence, filed for an I.P.O. this week. CoreWeave said in its filing that it had revenue of around $1.9 billion last year and a net loss of $863 million.
