Linqto Review: Pre-IPO Platform With Low Minimum Investments
Review
Updated
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Linqto might be for you if: You're an accredited investor who wants to invest in pre-IPO companies. Linqto lets you get started with as little as $2,500 for your first investment and $5,000 on subsequent investments, which is less than the minimum many similar platforms require. The low minimum makes it a good choice if you're new to pre-IPO investing.
Find out more about the platform and whether you qualify to use it in this honest Linqto review.
On Linqto's Secure Website.
Linqto allows accredited investors access to pre-IPO companies with a relatively low minimum investment. Investing in companies that aren’t publicly traded is a high-risk, high-reward endeavor, but Linqto’s relatively low minimum investment helps you minimize the risk. The costs of investing aren’t exactly transparent, as Linqto makes money through an undisclosed markup on investments.
Markup on investments
$2,500 for first investment
On Linqto's Secure Website.
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Linqto allows you to invest in private companies that aren't open to the general public for investment. Unlike the top stock brokers, which typically allow you to invest if you're at least 18 years old and have a Social Security number, Linqto is only available to accredited investors.
If the company you've invested in goes public, Linqto will contact you to obtain your brokerage account information and transfer your shares there.
At Motley Fool Money, brokerages are rated on a scale of one to five stars. We primarily focus on fees, available assets, and user experience; however, we also take into account features like research, education, tax-loss harvesting, and customer service. Our highest-rated brokerages generally include low fees, a diverse range of assets and account types, and useful platform features.
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I've been investing for about a decade. Though I've dabbled in individual stocks at times, I'm mostly a boring, hands-off index fund investor because I don't have to pick the next winner.
The overall stock market delivers amazing returns if you're patient. As a passive investor, I mostly stick with the two IRAs I have with Wealthfront and let their robo-advisor take it from there. The platform is easy to use and great for set-it-and-forget-it investors like me.
Linqto's offerings are limited to private companies, primarily in the tech space, that are expected to go public or be acquired within five years. As of mid-August 2024, there were 82 companies available on the platform, including:
When you buy shares of a private company, your investment is far less liquid than a publicly traded stock. Linqto can turn off the option to sell shares of a company for a number of reasons, including lack of demand or pending company events. You'll also need to hold your investments for at least 90 days.
Linqto offers the option to invest through a self-directed IRA, solo 401(k), trust, or certain types of business entities. To do so, you'll need to link the outside account to your Linqto profile as a sub-account and designate it as a separate purchaser.
Linqto bills itself as a "zero-fee investment management platform." It doesn't charge brokerage fees, account management fees, administrative fees, or carried interest (which is a type of executive compensation that's common in private equity and venture capital).
However, it charges a markup on the shares it sells, so the fees are essentially baked into the investment. That can make it difficult to determine how much you're actually paying -- and some Redditors say that the markup appears to be substantially higher on Linqto compared to similar pre-IPO platforms.
The standard minimum investment is $5,000, but you can make your first investment with as little as $2,500. Many investments have different price tiers that allow you to pay less per share when you invest larger amounts.
Linqto provides a decent amount of research about the companies it offers to investors. It provides a summary for each company that includes what it does, its officers and key investors, its estimated valuation, and its funding rounds.
However, due to the risk of investing in pre-IPO companies, you should review its Form S-1 (sometimes known as the registration statement) and its financial statements. You can find this information through the SEC's website.
Linqto's interface is fairly straightforward and easy to use. Signing up for the platform isn't much different than opening a regular brokerage account, though you'll need to take the additional step of verifying that you're an accredited investor.
You can add funds by linking your bank account, initiating a wire transfer, or linking an Uphold account using the currency or cryptocurrency of your choosing. Placing an order is similar to placing a buy order using a regular brokerage account.
Linqto's app gets 4.1 stars in the Google Play store and 3.8 stars on the Apple App Store. You can use the app to register and upload your ID and relevant documentation, as well as to buy and sell shares, and access research offerings.
To contact Linqto customer service, you'll need to fill out a form. There's no customer service number published on Linqto's website.
There's also a chatbot available on its website, but the functionality is extremely limited. The current version (which is in beta mode) allows you to choose from several topics and then directs you to information that's similar to what you find on the FAQ page. However, you don't have the ability to actually type in a question and if you select "Still need help?", you're directed to the "contact us" customer service form where the chatbot says the company will get back to you in one business day.
The platform gets a respectable rating of 3.5 stars on Trustpilot, though. Several users praise the company's customer service as knowledgeable and quick to respond.
Linqto says it received a 98/100 security and cyber resilience score from cybersecurity ratings firm SecurityScorecard. The platform uses 256-bit encryption, the industry standard for banks and brokerages, along with two-factor authentication.
The cash in your account is stored in a J.P. Morgan Chase bank account, so you can rest assured that your uninvested funds (up to $250,000) are protected by FDIC insurance.
Linqto is a San Jose, California-based fintech company that had more than 160,000 users and $220,000 of capital invested as of 2023. Its platform provides accredited investors with the opportunity to invest in companies that are expected to go public, while also allowing founders, employees, and venture capitalists (VCs) to sell their shares ahead of an IPO.
Linqto is preparing for its own IPO through a merger with special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) Blockchain Coinvestors Acquisition. The deal is valued at $700 million.
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J.P Morgan Disclosure
INVESTMENT AND INSURANCE PRODUCTS ARE: NOT A DEPOSIT • NOT FDIC INSURED • NO BANK GUARANTEE • MAY LOSE VALUE
SoFi Disclosure:
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE
Value Prop Disclosures
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