Does ByteDance have an IPO?

ByteDance is a private company. There is no ByteDance or TikTok symbol and you cannot buy shares of it in your typical brokerage account. Although the company had plans to IPO on either the NYSE or Nasdaq exchanges in 2021, this move was blocked by Chinese regulators. Since then, ByteDance management has paused all conversations of an IPO.

Why did ByteDance buy back $3 billion in shares?

Amid slow progress on the IPO, ByteDance bought back $3 billion in shares at a $300 billion valuation to allow early investors to cash out some of their equity without an IPO. In late 2023, ByteDance offered to buy back stock from shareholders for $160 per share, valuing the company at $223.5 billion.

How much is ByteDance worth?

Most recently, the company has opened a $300 million share repurchase program for employees at a price of $160 per share, implying a $223.5 billion valuation. The company has offered buyback programs twice per year since 2017. I estimate TikTok accounts for around 30% of ByteDance's total valuation, or about $67 billion.