Jason Citron. Photo by Kimberly White/Getty Images for TechCrunch, under Creative Commons license

According to a report from Bloomberg, Discord, the popular chat platform used mostly by gamers, is in talks to raise additional funding at a possible valuation of between $3 billion and $4 billion, compared to a valuation of $2 billion that the company got when it last raised funding in 2018. In the wake of a coronavirus pandemic that has moved many to work primarily online, Discord has seen a sharp increase in its usage. Although built for gamers, Discord has nonetheless been adopted by mainstream users primarily seeking for suitable internet-based communications tools to facilitate work, education, and other similar activities. As of 2019 end, Discord had more than 250 million users. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s very likely that the company has gained some millions more.

Since its founding in 2015, Discord has raised some $279 million in funding. Among its investors include Chinese tech giant Tencent, FirstMark, Index Ventures, and Spark Capital. Discord initiating talks to raise new funding seems like the company aiming to capitalize on its recent usage surge. The company may not actually need the funding, but high growth in many cases can translate into a higher valuation and more venture money for a company. As of now, the size of the funding Discord is seeking to raise isn’t known.