Chat platform Discord has raised US$500-million in a new funding round led by investment firm Dragoneer Investment Group, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.
The deal values the company at about $15-billion, Bloomberg News had reported earlier. Discord declined to comment on the valuation.
Baillie Gifford & Co, Coatue Management, Fidelity Management & Research Co and Franklin Templeton also participated in the financing, alongside existing investors, the Discord spokesman said.
Discord grew at a lightning pace during the Covid-19 pandemic and was first used by gamers, though the app has now expanded across communities and for events ranging from comedy clubs to karaoke parties.
It emerged earlier this year that Microsoft was in talks to buy Discord for more than $10-billion, with the talks ending in April. — Reported by Kanishka Singh, (c) 2021 Reuters