PRESS: Telegram said planning IPO for 2023 with value at $50 bln

MOSCOW, Apr 12 (PRIME) -- Messenger Telegram has started getting ready for a 2023 initial public offering (IPO) to float from 10% to 25% of shares with analysts valuing the whole firm at U.S. $30–50 billion, business daily Vedomosti reported on Monday, quoting sources.

Telegram started a pre-IPO research and is choosing a region and a stock exchange for floatation. Besides the IPO, the messenger is considering two more options – direct listing and the launch of a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

The exact date of going public will depend on the market.

The consultants suggest linking the company’s value to the monthly number of active users and put the value of one user at $50, the daily said. The messenger said earlier its audience exceeded 500 million users per month.

The company may hold the IPO in Asia, the region that accounts for more than 40% of its audience.

Telegram earlier sold bonds for more than $1 billion to large investors from all over the world. 

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