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Deal Flow Insights
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Hi there,
Here at NZVC we're seeing lots of interesting, early stage deals in New Zealand and wanted to share them with our LPs and early supporters. The intent is to show the energy of the entrepreneurial ecosystem of New Zealand and also get your thoughts, advice and possible investment into some of these companies. Please note these emails do not constitute an endorsement of these companies by NZVC.
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Sharesies
www.sharesies.nz
Democratizing investing for everyday New Zealanders and Australians through accessible financial technology.
Financial Technology / Investment Platforms
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The Story
Sharesies emerged from a simple observation: investing was too complex and expensive for ordinary people. The founders recognized that traditional investment platforms catered to wealthy individuals, leaving everyday Kiwis without accessible pathways to build wealth through the sharemarket. What started as a mission to democratize investing in New Zealand has evolved into a comprehensive financial platform that's fundamentally changing how a generation thinks about money and wealth creation. The company's journey reflects a deeper shift in financial services—moving from gatekeeping to enabling, from complexity to simplicity. By removing traditional barriers like high minimum investments and confusing interfaces, Sharesies has created what many consider the 'training wheels' for New Zealand's investment culture.
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Market Opportunity
The retail investment platform market in ANZ represents a significant opportunity driven by generational wealth transfer and changing attitudes toward financial independence. New Zealand's managed funds industry holds over $180 billion in assets, while Australia's retail investment market exceeds $3 trillion. The digitization of financial services, accelerated by COVID-19, has created a particularly fertile environment for platforms that can capture younger demographics who prefer mobile-first, low-cost investment solutions.
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Traction
Sharesies has achieved remarkable market penetration with 870,000+ customers across both markets—including 700,000+ New Zealanders representing 12% of the country's population. The platform manages $11 billion in assets under management with strong engagement metrics: approximately 50% of users are active monthly. Revenue has grown 70% year-over-year to $70 million annualized, while AUM has surged 90% year-over-year. The company has reached cash flow positivity, generating $1.2-1.3 million monthly with healthy 80% gross margins.
- 20% of under-40 New Zealanders use the platform
- KiwiSaver product driving 60-70 daily sign-ups with 10x revenue per user
- 600 companies now use their B2B services
- Australian expansion showing strong early traction with 120,000+ customers
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Why We're Excited
Sharesies has achieved something rare in fintech: genuine market-making at scale. With 12% of New Zealand's population on their platform, they've moved beyond being just another investment app to becoming essential financial infrastructure. The network effects are powerful—as more Kiwis join, investing becomes more socially acceptable and normalized, creating a virtuous cycle of adoption. What particularly excites us is their expansion beyond core investing into adjacent high-value products. The KiwiSaver offering generates 10x the revenue per user of their standard product, while their upcoming crypto launch could drive 20% revenue growth. Their B2B registry services represent a potential moat—replacing incumbent providers like Link Market Services with modern, integrated solutions. This isn't just a trading app; it's becoming the financial operating system for a generation of ANZ investors who prioritize accessibility, transparency, and community over traditional wealth management approaches.
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Useful Reads
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Sharesies’ $7 billion year as it reaches 'cashflow break-even' | interest.co.nz
This interest.co.nz deep-dive on Sharesies reaching cashflow break-even with $7B in 2024 trading volumes directly validates the newsletter's thesis on Sharesies' scale and product diversification into KiwiSaver, insurance, and acquisitions — giving LPs third-party evidence of the company's financial inflection point.
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Pulse of Fintech H2 2025 | KPMG NZ
KPMG's H2 2025 global Pulse of Fintech report, contextualised for NZ's open banking and AI adoption moment, gives LPs a credible market-level benchmark for evaluating Sharesies' timing and positioning as global fintech investment rebounds to $116B after a multi-year trough.
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