Airbnb Inc. lined up investors for a new funding round and an employee stock sale that will value the room-rental website at up to $30 billion and help defer an initial public offering, said people familiar with the matter. The San Francisco company plans to raise between $500 million and $1 billion from more than a half dozen large, investors in the coming weeks, the people said. The deal is expected to value Airbnb at about $30 billion, up from $25.5 billion a year ago. ...
Airbnb ’s recent rallying for a funding round and employee stock sale , which values the company at up to $ 30bn , was to help the company keep going public , according to the report . The report suggests that the new cash would be used for global expansion and to reward top talent without the need for an investor ; it also comes at a crucial time , as Airbnb is currently embroiled in fierce regulatory battles in its home city , San Francisco , and in New York , and it has been suggested that the proposed $ 30bn valuation may not exist if illegal listings in both of these markets are removed .