Airbnb files for initial public offering

Airbnb, the accommodation booking company, said it had filed with regulators for an initial public offering, marking a swift reversal from earlier this year when the coronavirus pandemic had appeared to put those plans on hold.

The San Francisco-based company said it had filed a confidential draft registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. It did not provide further details about the size or timing of the planned offering.

Airbnb’s listing would probably be one of the largest this year. The company had previously considered a direct listing, in which no new shares are sold, but indicated on Wednesday that it would pursue a traditional IPO.