ByteDance has recently implemented new policies for its Doubao stock, a move that sees the stock’s price increase significantly. According to recent reports, the company held a Doubao stock briefing where these new regulations were outlined for employees involved with the program.
Doubao Stock Price Surge
The price of Doubao stock has been adjusted from $14.85 per share in June to $17.02 per share. This represents an increase of approximately 14.6% in just over two months. The stock’s value was previously around 100 Chinese Yuan and has now risen to about 114.6 Yuan.
Increased Stock Allocation and Flexibility
In addition to the price hike, ByteDance is also increasing the allocation of Doubao stock. While the exact amount varies per employee, some individuals may receive stock equivalent to about 5% of their total compensation package. Furthermore, employees now have the option to adjust their Doubao stock proportion, allowing them to convert cash from their total package into Doubao stock. The maximum percentage an employee can convert varies, influenced by factors such as their job level, with known options including 20%, 30%, and other tiers.
Targeted Distribution
It’s important to note that these adjustments, issuances, and conversion options for Doubao stock do not apply to all ByteDance employees. The program is primarily focused on employees within the large model departments under the Seed umbrella, including those in areas like pre-training, multimodal, and VLM. It also extends to employees associated with the main Doubao App under Flow. Additionally, employees in departments like Ark who are deeply integrated with the Seed or Doubao foundational models may also receive a certain allocation of Doubao stock.
Exchange Options and Long-Term Incentives
Regarding the exchange of Doubao stock, individual quotas differ. For instance, some employees at L2 and L3 levels might have a maximum stock allocation option of 20%. For employees at L3 and L4 levels, this maximum allocation can be 25% or 30%.
Looking ahead, ByteDance is planning to pilot a “Doubao Long-Term Incentive Plan” in the fourth quarter of 2025. This plan aims to establish a “virtual stock” mechanism for the Doubao large model business. By offering Doubao stock and a buy-back mechanism similar to ByteDance options, the company intends to enhance its ability to attract and retain top talent in the large model field over the long term.
Past Initiatives
This initiative builds upon previous efforts. In May of this year, ByteDance’s Seed department announced that eligible employees could opt to receive their year-end bonuses in the form of Doubao stock. This meant employees had the choice to forgo cash bonuses in favor of receiving Doubao stock instead.
