Flipkart, based in Bengaluru, has completed a $50 million ESOP buyback for over 7,000 staffers, with another buyback planned in 2026 based on performance goals.
Walmart-owned Flipkart, one of India’s leading e-commerce platforms headquartered in Bengaluru, Karnataka, has executed a $50 million (approx. ₹430 crore) employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) buyback, benefiting over 7,000 current employees. This ESOP liquidity event accounts for 5% of the company’s ESOP pool.
Flipkart’s CEO Kalyan Krishnamurthy confirmed the buyback in an internal email and also hinted at another 5% liquidity event in early 2026, provided the company meets key performance milestones by the end of this year. This future buyback could put an additional $50 million in the hands of employees.
This move comes amid intensified hiring competition in India’s fast-growing quick-commerce and e-commerce sectors, with companies like Blinkit, Swiggy, and Zepto actively hiring talent from Flipkart.
Although Krishnamurthy’s email did not reveal exact targets, reports indicate that Walmart, Flipkart’s parent company, has instructed leadership to cut monthly cash burn by 50%—from $40 million to $20 million.
The current buyback applies only to stocks vested between July 6, 2022, and July 5, 2025, and only 5% of those stocks will be eligible for liquidity for current employees. For instance, an employee with 50,000 shares vested in this period will be able to liquidate 2,500 shares under the current event.
Krishnamurthy emphasized the importance of collective progress and agility in his note, stating, “The opportunities in our country are immense. We must seize them, with agility and a shared commitment to success.”
This move, seen as a morale booster, may help Flipkart retain its core talent amid mounting competitive pressures.
