Reddit, the popular online community platform known for its diverse range of discussions, is set to enter the high-stakes world of the stock market with its IPO priced at $34 a share. The company will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “RDDT” on Thursday, sparking a flurry of commentary on Reddit's platform and other social media outlets. With 76 million users engaging in its various communities, Reddit has set aside shares for its users, with the remaining shares expected to be bought by institutional investors.

Despite its large audience and potential for revenue growth through ad sales and content licensing, Reddit has faced challenges in turning a profit, accumulating cumulative losses of $717 million. The company has focused on revenue generation in recent years, increasing annual revenue to $804 million in 2021. However, Reddit's market value of $6.4 billion pales in comparison to Meta Platforms, which boasts a market value of over $1.2 trillion.

Reddit's history has been marked by management turmoil and user backlash, with co-founders Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian leaving and returning to the company over the years. Huffman, now CEO, acknowledged the company's past challenges in a letter, stating, "The list of our mistakes over the years is long, and so is the list of challenges we've faced." Despite these challenges, Reddit remains optimistic about its future, aiming to capitalize on e-commerce transactions on its platform and expand its revenue streams.

As Reddit prepares to go public, investors will be closely watching to see if the company can overcome its history of losses and instability to build a sustainable business in the competitive world of social media and finance.