Acquiring Checkout.com Shares: A Guide for 2025
Checkout.com, the brainchild of Swiss-born Guillaume Pousaz, has a classic startup tale. The goal was to enhance the customer experience in the payment solutions sector, leading to the establishment of Checkout.com in 2012. Pousaz and his team have succeeded lavishly, using cutting-edge technology to handle everything from processing different currencies (fiat and crypto) to streamlining the payment process.
The company's success story has attracted a wealth of attention. At one point, Checkout.com held a staggering $40 billion valuation. Although the valuation has since leveled off, investor interest remains sky-high. Despite being a private company, with shares owned by Pousaz and several institutional investors like Franklin Templeton and Tiger Global Management, there's a growing buzz for an Initial Public Offering (IPO).
However, as of early 2025, Checkout.com's IPO calendar is empty. The company seems in no rush to go public, with ample funding from institutional investors and a less-than-thriving IPO market due to higher interest rates. Yet, should the market begin to thaw, it might persuade Checkout.com to consider an IPO.
In the meantime, aspiring investors eager to capitalize on the fintech sector's growth can explore various alternatives. These options span well-known publicly-traded fintech stocks such as PayPal, Shopify, and Block, as well as secondary platforms enabling accredited investors to buy shares in pre-IPO companies like Checkout.com.
If you can't wait for Checkout.com's IPO, here are three publicly-traded fintech stocks to consider:
- PayPal (PYPL): A prominent payments processor handling 24 billion transactions and $1.5 trillion in total payment volume annually. PayPal offers a plethora of financial technology products and services, including cryptocurrency. By 2024, PayPal launched an upgraded branded checkout experience speeding up the process, benefiting both merchants and consumers.
- Shopify (SHOP): Shopify provides essential internet commerce infrastructure, offering hardware like point-of-sale terminals, software like Shopify Checkout, and financial services like buy now, pay later. Shopify optimized its Shopify Checkout product to increase conversion and speed, solidifying its position against competitors like Checkout.com. It's now the world's highest-converting checkout platform, powering 10% of US e-commerce sales.
- Block (SQ): Known as Square, Block is a global financial technology leader, supplying customers with building blocks to grow their businesses. The company offers services like Pay with Cash App and provides buy now, pay later services through its mobile applications. Block's Spiral platform is also advancing Bitcoin's use.
To invest in these alternative fintech stocks, simply open a brokerage account, determine your budget, and delve into comprehensive research on each company. Once you've made your decision, place an order through your brokerage account to become an investor in these burgeoning fintech companies.
As a reminder, remember that investing in pre-IPO shares comes with significant risks that non-accredited investors should bear in mind. Patience is crucial when investing in private companies like Checkout.com, preparing you to reap the rewards once it goes public.
[1] Sources: PayPal (https://www.corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/companies/technology/paypal/), Shopify (https://www.corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/companies/technology/shopify/), Block (https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/block-inc.asp)[2] Source: Arka Fintech Innovation ETF (https://ark-funds.com/fund/ark-fintech-innovation-etf/)[3] Source: ForgeGlobal (https://forgeglobal.com/)
The success of Checkout.com has led to increased interest in investing in the fintech sector, with many seeing an Initial Public Offering (IPO) as an opportunity to gain shares in the company. Despite its private status, Checkout.com's valuation and the buzz surrounding an IPO have made it an attractive target for investors.
Investors eager to participate in the fintech sector's growth can consider alternatives, such as publicly-traded companies like PayPal, Shopify, and Block, which offer a variety of financial technology products and services. By carefully researching and investing in these companies, individuals can capitalize on the potential growth of the fintech industry.
