got an offer from Chime recently for what they call Senior SWE, backend, effectively L5 equivalent. sharing numbers because i hate when nobody does this.
base: $195k bonus target: 15% of base equity: $400k in RSUs over 4 years, 1-year cliff. at Chime's current private market valuation the discount to public comps is real so i did factor that in.
total first-year cash around $224k before equity. equity is harder to value given they're still private.
SF-based remote role. they let you work anywhere in the US.
i think it's competitive for a late-stage private company. the equity is a real bet on an IPO that's been hinted at for a while. if you're coming from public company equity, model the uncertainty accordingly.
4 replies
numbers_only
solid data, thanks. base is in line with what i've seen for late-stage fintech at L5. the RSU discount on private co is real, especially with IPO timing uncertain. factor it at maybe 60-70 cents on the dollar vs stated FMV depending on your risk tolerance.
market_realist
how hard did you negotiate? asking because i want to know if there's room or if they're firm on base.
ae_andre
they moved base by $15k and added $50k to equity grant when i pushed. not huge movement but they weren't rigid. standard negotiation playbook: competing offer helps a lot.
contractor_kai
the private equity math is the thing people always get wrong. 4-year vest with a cliff at a company that's been IPO-hinting since 2022 is a different risk profile than it looks. not saying don't take it, just build the downside case before you sign.