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 avoid going public, according to the Airbnb Inc.. The report suggests that the new cash would be used for global expansion and to reward top talent without the need for an IPO; 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 stand if illegal listings in both of these cities are removed.