What is a ByteDance RSU?

RSUs or options are an instrument employees can purchase, which convert into actual shares if the company goes public or gets acquired. A ByteDance spokesperson confirmed the plan to CNBC and said the company aims to provide liquidity of its RSUs and options to motivate employees through buyback programs.

Will ByteDance lower its share buyback price?

The company offered RSUs at $195 per share in early 2021 and $180 before that. ByteDance, which runs share buyback programs twice a year to motivate employees, also offered to buy shares from employees at $142 per share earlier this year, according to one of the sources, adding that the company has no plans to lower the buyback price.

How much is ByteDance worth?

Founded in 2012, ByteDance has also repurchased shares from institutional investors. In December last year, the company offered to buy back around US$5 billion worth of shares from existing investors, which valued it at around US$268 billion, the Post reported at the time. That valuation was lower than its peak of more than US$400 billion in 2021.