Rares.io
Rares.io was a mobile marketplace that let retail investors buy fractional ownership stakes in rare and collectible sneakers, with a focus on financial literacy within the Black community. The platform ceased accepting new investments in 2026.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersLas Vegas, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
Rares.io firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rares.io
- Website
- https://rares.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Closed
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Rares.io was a mobile marketplace that let retail investors buy fractional ownership stakes in rare and collectible sneakers, with a focus on financial literacy within the Black community. The platform ceased accepting new investments in 2026.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rares.io industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alternative Investment Platform
- NAICS
- Hobby, Toy, and Game Retailers (459120)
- SIC
- Retail-Hobby, Toy & Game Shops (5945)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pop Culture Collectibles Retail (Figures, Statues, Funko, etc.) (CRALAGAK)
Keywords
Where Rares.io is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Las Vegas
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Rares.io business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Fractional Investment Platform: Platform enabling retail investors to purchase fractional shares in high-value sneakers and collectibles, likely monetizing through transaction fees on purchases and sales
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Rares.io product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rares operated a mobile-first online community and marketplace that enabled individual retail investors to purchase fractional ownership stakes in ultra-rare, vintage, and collectible sneakers. The platform combined an investment app with community-driven financial literacy programming, with stated focus on broadening access to the sneaker market within the Black community.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Rares.io
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Rares.io technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Rares.io partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Rares.io competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- StockX: StockX is the leading sneaker and streetwear resale marketplace, offering authenticated buying and selling of rare sneakers. It is comparable to Rares as the dominant price-discovery and liquidity venue for the same asset class Rares sought to fractionalize.
- GOAT: GOAT operates one of the largest authenticated sneaker marketplaces globally, combining new-release sales with resale. It overlaps with Rares on the underlying asset (collectible sneakers) and competes for the same consumer demand.
- Flight Club: Flight Club is a long-standing sneaker consignment and resale retailer with physical storefronts. It competes with Rares for the same supply of rare sneakers, though its model is whole-pair resale rather than fractional ownership.
- eBay: eBay operates a large secondary sneaker and collectibles marketplace with authentication services for select categories. It provides price discovery and liquidity for the same asset class Rares targeted, at massive scale and without fractional ownership.
- Sotheby's: Sotheby's has expanded into fractional and digital ownership of high-value collectibles, including partnerships enabling shared ownership of art and luxury items. It represents the established end of the fractional-collectibles category that Rares targeted at the retail-investor segment.
Direct peers
- Rally: Rally offered fractional ownership of collectible assets (cars, sports memorabilia, watches) through a regulated platform — directly mirroring Rares' fractional-ownership model and target audience of retail investors seeking alternative-asset exposure.
- Masterworks: Masterworks enables fractional investment in fine art via a registered platform. It is the most mature comparable to Rares' model of securitizing collectibles for retail investors, differing only in the underlying asset class.
- Collectable: Collectable provided fractional ownership of graded sports trading cards via an SEC-registered platform, targeting retail investors. It shares Rares' thesis of fractionalizing culture-driven collectibles but with stronger regulatory registration.
- Otis: Otis offered fractional investment in collectible assets and shared both the consumer-investor target and the cultural-collectibles thesis with Rares, operating as a younger, similarly-positioned peer in the fractional-collectibles category.
Emerging players
- Public.com: Public.com is a retail investing platform that has expanded into alternative assets including fractional shares and collectibles. It overlaps with Rares in offering retail investors access to fractional alternative-asset investments through a mobile-first interface.
Market position
Customer concentration
Rares.io social profiles
Digital presenceRares.io financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rares.io leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Rares.io funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors12 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rares.io M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rares.io
What does Rares.io do?
Rares operated a mobile-first online community and marketplace that enabled individual retail investors to purchase fractional ownership stakes in ultra-rare, vintage, and collectible sneakers. The platform combined an investment app with community-driven financial literacy programming, with stated focus on broadening access to the sneaker market within the Black community.
Is Rares.io a public or private company?
Rares.io is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently closed.
When was Rares.io founded?
Rares.io was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Rares.io based?
Rares.io is headquartered in Las Vegas, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rares.io make money?
One revenue line is on record: fractional Investment Platform.
Who are Rares.io's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are StockX, GOAT, Flight Club, eBay and Sotheby's. Direct peers are Rally, Masterworks, Collectable and Otis. Public.com is listed as an emerging player.
Does Rares.io have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rares.io.
What industry is Rares.io in?
Rares.io's product category is Alternative Investment Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRALAGAK, Pop Culture Collectibles Retail (Figures, Statues, Funko, etc.). Its NAICS code is 459120 and its SIC code is 5945.