Vested

What Vested does

Vested is a private fintech platform, founded in 2019, that provides funding to startup employees to exercise their stock options without out-of-pocket expense. The company serves current and former employees of private technology companies who hold ISOs, NSOs, RSUs, or already-owned shares, addressing the well-documented problem that employees abandon hard-earned equity because they cannot afford exercise costs and AMT tax liabilities. Vested underwrites a portion of the exercised shares back in exchange for funding the exercise, with a 10% placement fee applied to each deal.

The platform is built around three technical pillars: Vestimate, a proprietary equity valuation algorithm that estimates the value of private-company stock based on sector, stage, and fundraising history; a Carta API integration that automates grant loading and verification for users at 10,000+ startups; and an Equity Dashboard that monitors portfolio value and triggers liquidity alerts. Regulatory activity is conducted through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Vested Securities, LLC (an SEC-registered, FINRA/SIPC-member broker-dealer) and Vested Investment Management, LLC (an SEC exempt reporting advisor). Complementary free tools include an AMT Tax Calculator, an Equity Fairness Calculator, and an "Equity 101" educational content library.

Vested monetizes exclusively via transaction fees on option-exercise funding and operates a hybrid GTM motion combining product-led self-service onboarding through vested.co with a consultative deal-desk layer that returns funding decisions within 7–10 days. The company has cumulatively exercised over $200 million in options for more than 1,000 employees across 10,000+ startups, and has recently expanded a B2B2C distribution layer through HubSpot Solutions Partner and Fintel Connect affiliate channels targeting banks, asset managers, and fintechs.

Name

Vested

Legal name

Vested, Inc.

Website

https://vested.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Vested is a fintech platform that provides cash funding to startup employees to exercise stock options in exchange for a share of proceeds, supported by a Carta-integrated equity valuation algorithm and a FINRA-registered broker-dealer subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Stock Option Funding and Equity Management

NAICS

Investment Banking and Securities Intermediation (523150), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage (5231)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Asset-Backed Securities (6189)

akta.pro primary industry

Equity Compensation & Global Share Plan Administration (BPACAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Servicing, Special Servicing & Workout (FSACACAK)

Keywords

• Stock option funding
• Equity compensation
• Startup equity valuation
• Alternative minimum tax
• Prepaid forward contracts

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Option Funding Placement Fee: Vested provides cash funding to employees for exercising stock options in exchange for a portion of the exercised shares. There is a 10% placement fee associated with each deal, which covers transaction, intermediary, and due diligence costs. The fee is netted from shares and paid by Vested on behalf of the customer to Vested Securities, LLC, an affiliated broker-dealer. This is not a loan — there are no interest payments or monthly fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Vested provides cash funding to startup employees to exercise their stock options, accepting a portion of the exercised shares back upon a liquidity event in lieu of interest or monthly fees. The service is delivered through a web platform with Carta integration, proprietary valuation (Vestimate), and supporting tools for AMT tax calculation, equity benchmarking, and secondary liquidity pathways, all backed by regulated broker-dealer and RIA subsidiaries.

Product overview

Vested is a fintech platform offering startup employees a unified suite of equity management tools centered on its core stock option funding product. The main offering—Stock Option Funding—provides capital to exercise options in exchange for a share of future equity. This is complemented by Vestimate, a proprietary valuation algorithm that estimates equity worth and historical performance. Users access these features through an Equity Dashboard that syncs with Carta via API integration. Additional tools include the AMT Tax Calculator, Equity Fairness Calculator, and Sell Shares service for secondary liquidity. The platform is supported by educational content (Equity 101) and regulatory oversight through affiliated entities Vested Securities, LLC (SEC-registered broker-dealer, FINRA/SIPC member) and Vested Investment Management, LLC (SEC exempt reporting advisor).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Stock Option Funding Primary offering that provides startup employees with cash to exercise their stock options in exchange for a portion of shares later. Covers exercise costs, estimated AMT taxes, and associated fees with no out-of-pocket expense to the employee; funded shares are delivered upon a liquidity event.
• Vestimate Proprietary algorithmic tool that estimates the value of startup equity compensation based on company sector, stage, fundraising history, and other performance indicators, with historical trajectory tracking and benchmarking against similar companies.
• Equity Dashboard Data-driven interface allowing users to monitor equity portfolio growth, track value trends, and receive alerts about potential liquidity opportunities. Accessible after account creation and Carta linking.
• Sell Shares Liquidity pathway service for employees who already own exercised shares, RSUs, or other owned equity, providing guided support and clear timelines for exploring secondary market sale opportunities.
• Equity 101 Educational content library featuring articles and explainers on startup equity topics including stock options, vesting, taxes, tender offers, and liquidity strategies.

Quantifiable outcome

• $200M+ in options exercised for startup employees
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• HubSpotcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 February 2026Vested joined HubSpot's ecosystem as a Solutions Partner, expanding its digital marketing capabilities for financial services clients. The partnership enables Vested to help banks, fintechs, and investment firms with integrated marketing, sales, and client engagement strategies through HubSpot's platform. Vested has managed client HubSpot instances for years and is expanding these capabilities as clients look to consolidate technology stacks.
• Fintel ConnectminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 October 2025Vested partnered with Fintel Connect to bring affiliate marketing services to banks, fintechs, and financial institutions. The collaboration aims to expand reach, improve ROI, and acquire high-quality customers through a robust, compliant affiliate platform.
• CartacoreTechnology or IntegrationCarta API integration enables secure, automated equity data loading. Users can link their Carta accounts to automatically load grants, ensuring data accuracy and accessing exclusive Vestimate insights. Vested is the only option funding platform offering Carta integration for real-time equity verification.
• Vested Securities, LLCcoreOthersVested Securities, LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary and registered broker-dealer (member FINRA/SIPC) that handles the placement of prepaid forward contracts between share-option holders and funds. The placement fee is paid by Vested on behalf of the customer to Vested Securities, LLC.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Equitybee: Equitybee provides cash to startup employees to exercise stock options in exchange for a share of future proceeds, the same core product as Vested. It targets a similar employee base and uses a similar fee-on-liquidity revenue model.
• Secfi: Secfi offers non-recourse option exercise funding to startup employees plus equity planning tools, directly overlapping Vested's funding and valuation products. Comparable customer persona and revenue mechanic.
• EquityZen: EquityZen operates a private shares investment platform that provides liquidity to startup employees and outside investors, comparable to Vested's exercise funding and Sell Shares service for already-owned equity.
• ESO Fund: ESO Fund provides non-recourse funding to startup employees to exercise stock options and pay AMT taxes, matching Vested's core product with a comparable transaction-based fee structure.
• Tender: Tender offers funding solutions for employees exercising startup stock options in exchange for future equity, directly comparable to Vested's prepaid forward contract product.
• Forge Global: Forge operates a private company secondary marketplace that provides liquidity for startup employees and shareholders, comparable to Vested's Sell Shares offering for already-exercised equity.
• Hiive: Hiive is a private company secondary marketplace enabling startup employees and investors to buy and sell shares, comparable to Vested's liquidity pathway offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Carta: Carta is the dominant cap-table and equity management platform with which Vested integrates; it serves the same startup employee base and has been expanding into secondary liquidity, making it both a partner and a potential broad incumbent competitor.
• Nasdaq Private Market: Nasdaq Private Market provides secondary trading and tender offer services for private company shares, an established incumbent in the same employee liquidity space as Vested.
• SharesPost: SharesPost provides a private company secondary trading platform serving employees, accredited investors, and institutions; it addresses the same liquidity gap as Vested for startup equity holders.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vestedco

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors7 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vested