Wise Starts Trading on Nasdaq With US Growth in Focus

⦿ Executive Snapshot

What: Wise has begun trading on Nasdaq, aiming to enhance its footprint in the US market.
Who: Wise, a payments company, with Kristo Käärmann as Co-founder and CEO.
Why it matters: This move signifies Wise's strategy to tap into the US market, potentially increasing its customer base and revenue amidst rising cross-border transaction volumes.

Wise reported a cross-border transaction volume of US$243 billion for the financial year ending March 2026, a 31% increase year-on-year.
Customer holdings surged by 40% to US$39 billion, which includes US$9 billion in Wise Assets holdings.
The company's transaction revenue rose by 22% to US$1.9 billion, driven by US$1.3 billion in cross-border revenue and US$600 million from card and other revenue, the latter growing by 34% year-on-year.
Card spend reached US$44 billion, marking a 37% year-on-year increase.
Wise's net revenue increased by 19% to US$2.5 billion, with US$800 million from interest income on customer balances and US$200 million in interest expense on customer liabilities.

Wise's listing on Nasdaq reflects its ambition to broaden its market share in the US, where it already offers various services to millions of consumers and businesses.
The payments sector is experiencing a transformation with companies like Wise challenging traditional providers by offering lower-cost cross-border transaction solutions.

The immediate consequence of Wise's Nasdaq listing is the potential for increased visibility and credibility in the US market, which could attract more users and institutional partnerships.
Long-term, Wise's expansion efforts in the US could reshape the competitive landscape of cross-border payments, enabling it to capture a larger share of the estimated $43 trillion moved across borders annually.

Regulatory hurdles in the US financial landscape may pose challenges to Wise's expansion and operational strategy.
Increased competition from established financial institutions and other fintech companies could impact Wise's market share and growth potential.

Wise plans to enhance its local presence and strengthen ties with US banks and online platforms, which will be crucial for its growth strategy.
The success of the OwnWise program, aimed at offering customer loyalty benefits, will be a key indicator of Wise's ability to engage and retain US customers effectively.