Bytedance is looking to tap the public markets next year, according to people close to the company, after the fast-growing Chinese news feed and short video app’s efforts to raise money privately were scuppered by the government crackdown on content.

The Beijing-based company, best known for its Jinri Toutiao news feed and short video app Douyin, emerged as an unusual star in China’s expanding tech universe. Without backing from either of the country’s duo of heavyweights, Tencent and Alibaba, it attracted both big investors and users.

However, it clashed with Beijing in April over what the top media regulator branded “vulgar” content as part of a broader state crackdown. It was ordered to close the offending account and the mobile app was temporarily removed from several online stores.