Upvest

Upvest is a Berlin-based financial services company, founded in 2017, that provides an Investment API for businesses looking to offer investment opportunities to their end-users. Its API simplifies the investment process, covering regulatory licensing, brokerage, settlement, and custody, making it easier for businesses to create seamless investment experiences. Upvest enables investments in stocks, ETFs, and soon, crypto assets, with innovative features such as fractional investing, portfolio management, and roundups.

The company's Investment API allows users to make investments with as little as 1 EUR, and its automation tools handle complex processes such as rebalancing portfolios, tax management, and recurring savings plans. The API also facilitates micro-investing, where users can invest small amounts while spending, promoting wealth-building through everyday transactions.

Upvest’s investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, HV Capital, Earlybird, and ABN AMRO Ventures, among others. These investors see Upvest as a leading player in fintech infrastructure, with a strong position in Europe’s growing investment platform market. Upvest’s services enable both fintech providers and legacy financial institutions to focus on their core businesses while offering new investment products to their customers.

The company has raised $31.9 million in funding. Upvest is focused on providing scalable, secure, and regulated investment solutions, with its offerings available across international borders.

Upvest’s key specialities include fintech, capital markets, financial services, and investment APIs, positioning itself as a key player in making investments more accessible to millions of people.

Upvest entered into a significant partnership with Deutsche Bank. Through this collaboration, Upvest integrated Deutsche Bank's banking infrastructure, allowing it to offer cash management services, virtual IBANs, and foreign exchange solutions. This partnership also enhanced Upvest’s ability to offer pan-European, API-based solutions for payments and currency exchange, further streamlining the investment process for its clients.

Upvest was founded in 2017 by Martin Kassing, a tech entrepreneur with a background in private equity. The company was created to simplify the investment process for businesses through the use of its Investment API, which allows companies to offer seamless investment experiences to their users. The API handles complexities such as regulatory compliance, brokerage, settlement, and custody, enabling businesses to focus on their core operations.

In its early stages, Upvest focused on developing its core Investment API, which offered fractional investing, portfolio management, and savings plans. By 2019, Upvest had launched a stable platform that enabled users to make fractional investments with as little as 1 EUR, making investing more accessible. The company expanded its services to include portfolio management, allowing businesses to create customised portfolios for their users.

In 2020, Upvest secured $31.9 million in funding from prominent investors, including Bessemer Venture Partners, HV Capital, Earlybird, and ABN AMRO Ventures. This funding allowed Upvest to expand its operations and enhance its platform further. By 2021, the company introduced additional features like micro-investing and roundups, which allowed users to invest small amounts through everyday purchases, encouraging broader participation in the investment market.

In 2023, Upvest continued to improve its Investment API, introducing automation features like portfolio rebalancing, tax handling, and recurring savings plans. The company had grown significantly, with a team of over 200 employees, and had become a key player in the European fintech market.

In 2024, Upvest secured a €30 million funding round and entered into a partnership with BlackRock, aiming to make investing more accessible to millions across Europe. Later that year, Upvest also announced a strategic partnership with Deutsche Bank, integrating the bank's infrastructure into its platform. This collaboration allowed Upvest to offer enhanced cash management services, virtual IBANs, and foreign exchange solutions to its clients, further streamlining the investment process.

Today, Upvest continues to lead in the fintech space, working closely with financial giants like BlackRock and Deutsche Bank. Its API solutions are recognised for being scalable, secure, and efficient, allowing businesses across Europe to offer investment services that are both user-friendly and compliant with the stringent regulations of the financial markets. With its ongoing focus on innovation and partnerships, Upvest is well-positioned to continue driving the future of digital investments across borders.

Upvest is focused on providing businesses with the tools to offer investment services through its Investment API. For companies interested in partnering with or using Upvest’s services, the following key investment criteria are important:

• Regulatory Compliance: Upvest ensures that all investment services provided through its API comply with regulatory standards. Businesses must adhere to local and international regulations, including proper customer identification, tax compliance, and reporting.
• Fractional Investing: Upvest’s API allows businesses to offer fractional investment options, enabling end users to invest in small amounts. Companies that integrate this feature must ensure their product supports real-time fractional orders and the management of fractional shares.
• Portfolio Management: Upvest enables businesses to create and manage customised portfolios for their users. Companies should be prepared to offer various asset classes, including stocks and ETFs, with the future potential to include crypto assets. The ability to manage portfolios through automated rebalancing and tax handling is crucial.
• Savings Plans: Upvest supports automated recurring investments through savings plans. Businesses must integrate features that allow users to set up direct debit mandates, recurring investment amounts, and flexible intervals for their savings plans.
• Micro-Investing: Upvest’s API includes a micro-investing feature that allows users to invest small amounts through everyday transactions, like rounding up purchases. Companies should be ready to engage their users by offering these small, frequent investments.
• Cash Management and Payments: Through its partnership with Deutsche Bank, Upvest provides access to cash management services, virtual IBANs, and foreign exchange solutions. Businesses that use Upvest’s API will need to integrate these features to ensure smooth, automated payment processing, including real-time currency conversions for international transactions.
• International Reach: Upvest’s API is designed to be scalable across borders. Companies should consider how they will offer investment services to users in different countries, while ensuring they meet the regulatory requirements of each region.
• API Integration: The businesses using Upvest’s API must have the technical capacity to integrate the solution seamlessly into their existing platforms. This includes managing orders, payments, portfolios, and reports through the provided API.

Upvest’s Investment API brings significant value to businesses looking to offer seamless and user-friendly investment experiences. Below are the key areas where Upvest delivers value:

• Simplified Investment Process: Upvest streamlines the complexities of offering investment products by handling regulatory compliance, brokerage, settlement, and custody. This allows businesses to focus on delivering a better user experience without getting bogged down by legal and financial requirements.
• Accessibility: With features like fractional investing, Upvest makes investing accessible to more users. Businesses can allow customers to start investing with as little as 1 EUR, making the investment journey easy for first-time investors. This helps attract a broader audience and encourages more people to engage with financial products.
• Customised Portfolios: Upvest’s platform allows businesses to offer users the ability to create and manage custom portfolios. By offering tailored investment strategies, businesses can keep users engaged and give them more control over their investments, leading to higher satisfaction and retention.
• Recurring Savings: Upvest supports automated savings plans, allowing users to set up recurring investments that fit their personal financial goals. This feature encourages users to invest regularly, helping them build wealth over time while reducing the manual effort for both businesses and users.
• Micro-Investing and Roundups: The micro-investing feature lets users invest small amounts by rounding up everyday transactions. This not only simplifies the process of saving and investing but also makes investing a habit, contributing to long-term wealth building for users while keeping them engaged with the business’s platform.
• Cash Management and Payments: With Upvest’s integration of Deutsche Bank’s infrastructure, businesses gain access to cash management, virtual IBANs, and foreign exchange services. This helps businesses improve liquidity, simplify international payments, and provide users with a smooth payment experience.
• Scalability Across Borders: Upvest’s API is designed for businesses that aim to offer investment services internationally. The platform is scalable and supports cross-border investments, allowing companies to expand into new markets while staying compliant with local regulations.
• Time and Cost Efficiency: By using Upvest’s ready-made investment solutions, businesses can reduce the time and resources needed to develop their own investment infrastructure. This results in faster go-to-market times and lower operational costs, enabling businesses to grow efficiently.

Upvest’s mission is to make investing as simple and accessible as spending money. By providing an Investment API, Upvest enables businesses to offer seamless, secure investment experiences to their users. Their goal is to democratise investing, allowing more people to participate, regardless of their financial background. Upvest handles the complexities of regulatory compliance, brokerage, and payments, so businesses can focus on delivering user-friendly investment services. Ultimately, Upvest aims to empower individuals to build wealth and take control of their financial future through innovative, easy-to-use investment solutions.

Upvest has attracted investment from several leading venture capital firms and financial institutions that recognise the potential of its Investment API. These investors provide not only funding but also strategic support to help Upvest grow and expand its services across Europe and beyond. Below is a list of key investors and a brief description of each:

Bessemer Venture Partners: Bessemer is one of the oldest venture capital firms in the world, known for backing innovative technology companies. They invest in a wide range of sectors, including fintech, helping businesses scale and transform their industries.

HV Capital: HV Capital is a leading European venture capital firm that supports technology-driven businesses. With a focus on long-term partnerships, they help companies like Upvest expand by providing capital and industry expertise.

Earlybird: Earlybird is a European venture capital firm that focuses on technology companies in the early and growth stages. They have a track record of supporting fintech businesses, helping them navigate growth and market expansion.

ABN AMRO Ventures: ABN AMRO Ventures is the venture arm of ABN AMRO Bank, investing in innovative companies that align with the bank’s strategic focus. Their investment in Upvest highlights their interest in fintech and supporting new financial services technologies.

BlackRock: BlackRock is the world's largest asset management firm, providing investment management, risk management, and advisory services. Their partnership with Upvest aims to make investing more accessible to millions of people through innovative solutions.