Quick commerce unicorn Zepto has expanded its employee stock option (ESOP) pool by $170 million, taking the total value of its options to more than $500 million, according to a report by Inc42. The company has issued an additional 39.4 lakh stock options, bringing the overall count to 1.2 crore, with a total valuation now estimated at around $527 million.
This expansion makes Zepto’s ESOP pool one of the largest among late-stage Indian startups, particularly in the consumer internet segment. Alongside this, the company has also approved an interest-free loan of Rs 700 crore to its employee- welfare trust, enabling employees to exercise and purchase vested shares without significant upfront costs.
The move follows Zepto’s recent $450 million funding round, a mix of primary and secondary transactions that has left the company with approximately $900 million in net cash. The round reportedly values Zepto at $7 billion, up from $5 billion last year, positioning it as one of India’s fastest-growing startups.
Despite the valuation surge, Zepto has been undergoing a broad restructuring driven by its focus on automation and cost efficiency. Over the past six months, the company has laid off more than 500 employees, including around 200 last month alone. The affected roles span ground operations, customer support, invoice processing, and the Zepto Café vertical, which has since scaled down operations.
The combination of employee-focused incentives, capital infusion, and operational restructuring suggests Zepto is preparing for its next phase of growth—one that blends expansion with a sharper focus on efficiency and long-term financial discipline.
