NASDAQ has filed with regulators to allow companies to debut on its exchange using direct listings, in addition to the traditional initial public offering, according to Reuters. The move seems to indicate sure-fire demand to step away from traditional IPOs - and the high costs associated with the traditional method of going public. 

The SEC already allows direct listings for companies that don't raise capital in the process of going public. In 2018, Spotify became one of the first major companies to go public through a direct listing. The NYSE is also seeking the same concession from the SEC, having filed in June for a similar rule change.

A direct listing essentially means that a company would set a non-binding price range ahead of trading with a fixed number of shares being sold.