Explainer

How Discord’s IPO Will Test App’s Freewheeling Culture

Servers on the Discord Inc. app.Photographer: Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg

Teens’ favorite chat app is planning an initial public offering.

Discord Inc. is one of the last major privately held social platforms, boasting more than 200 million monthly active users after 10 years in operation. The company has now filed confidentially for an IPO, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 6, capitalizing on the platform’s cultural momentum and growth in advertising revenue.