Zepto Expands ESOP Plan with Additional Stock Options

Zepto has initiated its ESOP expansion by introducing new employee stock options valued at more than $169 million. The board at Zepto has sanctioned a resolution to increase the number of ESOP options by 39.39 lakhs, elevating the entire ESOP pool to 122.90 lakhs, according to the company’s regulatory filing with the Registrar of Companies (RoC).

Startup Superb estimates that the newly incorporated ESOPs are worth approximately Rs 1,486 crore (around $169 million), resulting in a cumulative ESOP pool value of Rs 4,637 crore ($527 million).

Interest-Free Loan for ESOP Purchases

The company is providing an interest-free loan of up to Rs 700 crore to the Zepto Employee Stock Option Trust. This financial support is for the acquisition or subscription of equity shares under the Zepto Share Option Plan I (ESOP Plan), as endorsed by the Board.

Funding and Investment Overview

This expansion of the ESOP plan aligns with Zepto’s recent $450 million Series H funding, spearheaded by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). Documents indicate that the company has attracted a primary investment of Rs 2,562 crore or $291 million from various entities including GC Holdings, Gladebook, Stepstone, Springblue, Goodwater, Lightspeed, and others.

Since its establishment, Zepto has successfully raised a total of $2.3 billion, with $1.8 billion obtained since January of the previous year.

Financial Performance Highlights

For the fiscal year 2024, Zepto recorded revenues of Rs 4,454 crore, more than double compared to the Rs 2,026 crore reported for fiscal year 2023. The company’s losses saw a slight reduction from approximately Rs 1,272 crore in FY23 to Rs 1,249 crore in FY24. According to filings, Zepto achieved a turnover of Rs 11,110 crore ($1.3 billion) in fiscal year 2025. However, the company has yet to release its financial results from the previous year.