How to Buy Stripe Stock Before the IPO

Stripe processes over $1.4 trillion in payments annually and is valued at $91.5 billion—making it one of the most valuable private companies in the world. You want to own a piece before it goes public. The direct answer: retail investors cannot buy Stripe stock. The company remains private with no announced IPO date, and the secondary markets that trade Stripe shares require accredited investor status with minimums starting at $10,000.

If you qualify as an accredited investor, platforms like EquityZen and Forge Global offer access. If you don’t, you’re not entirely shut out—there are legitimate ways to get exposure to the payments industry and Stripe’s competitive landscape. This guide breaks down exactly who can invest, through which channels, at what cost, and what your realistic alternatives are.

Quick Summary

What Is Stripe?

Stripe is a financial infrastructure company that powers online payments for businesses of all sizes. Founded in 2010 by Irish brothers Patrick and John Collison, the company started with a simple premise: accepting payments online was unnecessarily complicated, and developers deserved better tools.

That bet paid off spectacularly. Stripe now processes payments for millions of businesses—from startups to Fortune 500 companies like Amazon, Google, and Shopify. The platform handles everything from simple credit card processing to complex marketplace payouts, subscription billing, and international payments across 195+ countries.

Why Investors Want In

Stripe’s appeal goes beyond its current dominance:

Scale: The company processed $1.4 trillion in payment volume in 2024, representing significant growth from previous years.

Diversification: Stripe has expanded far beyond basic payments into fraud prevention (Radar), business incorporation (Atlas), corporate cards (Issuing), and most recently, crypto infrastructure through its $1.1 billion acquisition of Bridge.

Network effects: Every business that joins Stripe makes the platform more valuable. More transaction data improves fraud detection. More developers building on Stripe APIs creates ecosystem lock-in.

Profitability signals: Unlike many high-growth tech companies, Stripe has reportedly achieved profitability—a critical milestone for any eventual IPO.

Can You Buy Stripe Stock?

The short answer: Only if you’re an accredited investor willing to commit at least $10,000.

Stripe remains a private company. You cannot buy shares through your regular brokerage account, and there’s no ticker symbol to look up. The Collison brothers have shown no urgency to go public, repeatedly stating they’ll IPO “when it makes sense” rather than on any external timeline.

What About Secondary Markets?

Secondary markets exist specifically to trade shares of private companies. These platforms connect current shareholders (typically employees or early investors) with new buyers. For Stripe, several platforms offer access:

For accredited investors: Shares occasionally become available on platforms like EquityZen, Forge Global, and Hiive. Availability fluctuates based on seller interest.

For retail investors: No direct access. These platforms legally cannot sell private company shares to non-accredited investors under SEC regulations.

The key limitation isn’t the platforms—it’s the regulatory framework that restricts who can participate in private markets.

Do You Qualify as an Accredited Investor?

The SEC defines accredited investors as individuals meeting at least one of these criteria:

Income Test

• $200,000+ annual income for the past two years (individual), OR
• $300,000+ combined income with spouse/partner
• Reasonable expectation of maintaining that income level

Net Worth Test

• $1,000,000+ net worth, excluding your primary residence

Professional Credentials

• Series 7, 65, or 82 licenses in good standing
• Certain professional certifications (CFA, etc.)

Quick Check: About 13% of U.S. households qualify as accredited investors. If you don’t meet these thresholds, skip to the “Alternatives for Retail Investors” section—there are legitimate ways to get fintech exposure without accreditation.

Verification Process

Secondary market platforms don’t take your word for it. Expect to provide:

• Tax returns (W-2s, 1099s) for income verification
• Brokerage statements for net worth verification
• Third-party verification through services like VerifyInvestor.com
• Professional license documentation if qualifying via credentials

The verification process typically takes 1-3 business days.

How to Invest in Stripe (If Accredited)

If you qualify as an accredited investor, here’s how the secondary market process works:

Platform Options

EquityZen

• Minimum investment: $10,000+
• How it works: EquityZen aggregates smaller investors into special purpose vehicles (SPVs) that purchase larger share blocks
• Fees: Typically 5% of investment amount
• Stripe availability: Periodically available; check their Stripe page for current offerings

Forge Global

• Minimum investment: $25,000+
• How it works: Direct share purchases or fund structures
• Fees: 1-5% depending on transaction type
• Focus: More institutional, larger transaction sizes

Hiive

• Minimum investment: $10,000+
• How it works: Marketplace connecting buyers and sellers directly
• Fees: Variable based on transaction

The Purchase Process

1. Create an account on your chosen platform
2. Complete accreditation verification (1-3 days)
3. Browse available offerings (Stripe may not always be listed)
4. Express interest in a specific share offering
5. Review terms including price per share, minimum investment, and fees
6. Fund your investment via wire transfer or ACH
7. Wait for closing (transactions can take 2-8 weeks to complete)

What You’re Actually Buying

Important nuance: On most platforms, you’re not buying Stripe shares directly. You’re typically buying:

• SPV interests: A share of a special purpose vehicle that owns Stripe stock
• Forward contracts: An agreement to receive shares at a future date

This structure has implications for voting rights (usually none), dividend rights (pass-through), and liquidity (even more limited than direct shares).

Alternatives for Retail Investors

You don’t need accreditation to invest in the payments revolution. Here’s how to get exposure without direct Stripe access:

1. Public Competitors

These companies compete directly with Stripe and trade on public exchanges:

Reality check: These aren’t proxies for Stripe—they’re competitors. If Stripe dominates, these companies might struggle. But if the entire payments industry grows, rising tides lift all boats.

2. Payment Network Giants

The infrastructure layer that all payment processors rely on:

The angle: Every Stripe transaction that uses a Visa or Mastercard generates revenue for these networks. They’re picks-and-shovels plays on digital payments growth.

3. Fintech ETFs

Diversified exposure to the broader fintech ecosystem:

Global X FinTech ETF (FINX)

• Holds PayPal, Block, Intuit, and other fintech leaders
• Expense ratio: 0.68%
• No direct Stripe exposure, but captures the sector

ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF)

• Growth-focused fintech holdings
• Expense ratio: 0.75%
• Higher volatility, more concentrated bets

4. Wait for the IPO

The most straightforward alternative: wait. When Stripe eventually goes public, retail investors will have access through any standard brokerage.

The trade-off: You won’t get “pre-IPO pricing,” but you’ll also avoid:

• Accreditation requirements
• Platform fees (5%+)
• Liquidity risk
• SPV complexity

Many successful investors have built wealth buying companies after they go public. Amazon, Apple, and Google all delivered life-changing returns to investors who bought post-IPO.

Stripe Valuation History

Understanding Stripe’s valuation trajectory helps contextualize current pricing:

The 2023 Down-Round Reality

Stripe’s valuation journey includes an important cautionary tale. In 2023, the company repriced its internal shares at roughly $50 billion—nearly half its 2021 peak. Employees who had been granted equity at higher valuations saw their paper wealth evaporate.

This wasn’t unique to Stripe. The entire private tech market repriced in 2022-2023 as interest rates rose and growth multiples compressed. But it illustrates a critical point: private company valuations are not stable.

The February 2024 tender offer at $91.5 billion represents significant recovery, but anyone who bought secondary shares at the 2021 peak would have experienced substantial paper losses before this rebound.

Risks of Pre-IPO Stripe Investment

Secondary market platforms make private stock accessible—but they don’t make it safe.

Liquidity Risk: Your Money Is Locked

Unlike public stocks, you can’t sell Stripe shares whenever you want. Exiting a position requires:

• Finding a buyer on a secondary platform
• Potentially accepting significant discounts (15-30% below “fair value”)
• Waiting weeks or months for transaction completion
• Navigating potential transfer restrictions

Practical implication: Treat any Stripe investment as capital you won’t access for 3-7 years.

Valuation Risk: The Price Is Negotiated, Not Discovered

Stripe’s $91.5 billion valuation comes from a tender offer—a negotiated transaction between the company and sophisticated investors. It’s not a market price discovered through continuous trading.

This means:

• The valuation could be optimistic
• An IPO might price lower
• Future funding rounds could reprice shares downward (as happened in 2023)

Dilution Risk: More Shares, Smaller Slices

Stripe continues to raise capital and make acquisitions. The $1.1 billion Bridge acquisition likely involved some stock component. Every new share issued dilutes existing shareholders.

Early employees and investors have already experienced significant dilution across Stripe’s 15+ years of operation.

Regulatory and Competitive Risk

Payment processing faces intensifying scrutiny:

• Data privacy regulations (GDPR, state-level laws)
• Financial services compliance requirements
• Cross-border payment regulations
• Potential antitrust attention as the company grows

Competition remains fierce from PayPal, Block, Adyen, and increasingly, traditional banks building their own digital infrastructure.

When Will Stripe Go Public?

Official position: Stripe has not announced an IPO date or timeline.

The Collison brothers have consistently stated they’ll go public when it makes strategic sense, not in response to external pressure. Patrick Collison has noted that being private allows the company to focus on long-term investments without quarterly earnings pressure.

What Analysts Speculate

Industry observers generally expect a Stripe IPO sometime between 2025 and 2027, based on:

• Company maturity (15+ years old)
• Reported profitability
• Market conditions improving from 2022-2023 lows
• Employee liquidity pressure (long-tenured employees want to monetize equity)

Comparable IPO Timelines

Stripe, at 15 years private, is already on the longer end of this spectrum.

Signs to Watch

Indicators that an IPO might be approaching:

• Hiring of investment banks for advisory roles
• Increased financial disclosure or audited financials
• Executive commentary shifting from “no timeline” to “evaluating options”
• Large secondary tender offers (like the February 2024 event)

The Bottom Line

Stripe is one of the most compelling private companies in the world—a payments infrastructure giant processing $1.4 trillion annually with a clear path to continued growth. The desire to own shares before an IPO is understandable.

But the access reality is stark:

If you’re an accredited investor with $10,000+ to commit and comfort with illiquidity, secondary market platforms offer legitimate access. Expect fees, complexity, and the possibility that you’re buying near a peak valuation.

If you’re a retail investor, your options are indirect but still valuable. Public competitors like PayPal and Block, payment networks like Visa and Mastercard, and fintech ETFs all provide exposure to the same industry tailwinds driving Stripe’s growth.

For most investors, waiting for the IPO is the most sensible approach. You’ll sacrifice any “pre-IPO discount” (which may not exist anyway), but you’ll gain liquidity, transparency, and simplicity.

The payments industry will continue growing regardless of whether you own Stripe specifically. Position yourself to benefit from that growth through whatever vehicle matches your situation.

FAQ

Can you buy Stripe stock?

Only accredited investors can buy Stripe stock through secondary market platforms like EquityZen and Forge Global. Retail investors cannot purchase Stripe shares directly. The company remains private with no publicly traded stock.

Is Stripe publicly traded?

No. Stripe is a private company and does not trade on any stock exchange. There is no ticker symbol for Stripe. The company has not announced an IPO date.

How much is Stripe worth?

Stripe’s most recent valuation is $91.5 billion, established through a February 2024 tender offer. This represents a recovery from a 2023 low of approximately $50 billion and is slightly below its 2021 peak of $95 billion.

When will Stripe IPO?

Stripe has not announced an IPO timeline. Company leadership has stated they will go public “when it makes sense.” Industry analysts speculate a potential IPO between 2025 and 2027, but this is speculation, not confirmed plans.

What is the minimum investment to buy Stripe stock?

Secondary market platforms typically require minimum investments of $10,000-$25,000 for Stripe shares. EquityZen’s minimum is generally $10,000, while Forge Global often requires $25,000 or more. These minimums can vary based on specific offerings.

How can retail investors get exposure to Stripe?

Retail investors can gain indirect exposure through public competitors (PayPal, Block), payment networks (Visa, Mastercard), or fintech ETFs (FINX, ARKF). These don’t provide direct Stripe ownership but offer exposure to the same industry growth drivers.

Sources

• TechCrunch: “Stripe finalizes tender sale at a $91.5B valuation, says payment volumes grew to $1.4T in 2024” (February 2025)
• TechCrunch: “Stripe makes $1.1B crypto bet as it closes on Bridge acquisition” (February 2025)
• SEC: Accredited Investor Definition, Rule 501 of Regulation D
• EquityZen: Stripe Investment Page
• Crunchbase: Stripe Company Profile