Uphold considers IPO or sale, valuation may exceed $1.5 billion, growth momentum attracts attention

According to foreign media reports, the US digital asset trading platform Uphold is actively evaluating future strategic directions, including an initial public offering (IPO) or an overall sale. In an interview, the company's CEO Simon McLoughlin revealed that the board of directors has officially commissioned the fintech investment bank FT Partners to conduct in-depth research and planning on a variety of strategic options, including an IPO in the United States or selling the company to an interested acquirer.

Although McLoughlin did not disclose the company's current specific valuation, people familiar with the transaction said that Uphold's current valuation has exceeded US$1.5 billion. According to reports, several banks and financial institutions have shown strong interest and are in contact with Uphold for potential transactions.

Founded in 2015, Uphold focuses on cross-asset transactions and multi-currency account functions, supporting a variety of asset classes including cryptocurrencies, fiat currencies, stocks and precious metals. As digital assets gradually enter the mainstream financial system, the company has developed rapidly in recent years, and its business scale and number of users have continued to expand. According to company data, Uphold's revenue has grown rapidly from about $80 million in 2022 to more than $300 million at present, showing that its balancing strategy between compliance and technology has begun to bear fruit.

McLoughlin said that the global crypto industry is currently experiencing an active period of mergers and acquisitions, and many financial technology companies are seeking scale expansion and resource integration in market adjustments. He admitted that although Uphold is currently on a strong growth track, in order to seize the next stage of development opportunities, IPO or sale are both attractive paths. He added that if the company eventually chooses to acquire other companies, landing in mainstream capital markets such as Nasdaq will bring greater help to brand building and market expansion.

Industry analysts pointed out that Uphold has a certain first-mover advantage in its positioning as a multi-asset integrated trading platform, coupled with a solid user base and significant revenue growth, which gives it strong bargaining power in IPO or sale negotiations. If it eventually enters the public market, it will bring a new valuation reference system for crypto exchange companies, and may also attract more traditional investors to pay attention to the substantial profitability of the Web3 track.