If your equity comes from a public company, its value starts with a share price anyone can look up. If you're joining or are already working at a private company, particularly a venture-backed startup or one preparing for an IPO, there is no public share price. Some private marketplaces do match buyers and sellers of startup shares; however, trading there is limited, usually requires company approval, and the prices aren't visible the way a public quote is.
Keep learning
You can read one full article every 24 hours. Log in for unlimited Education access.