Upvest raises $125M as European retail investing infrastructure heats up
Berlin fintech Upvest closed $125M in new funding, nearly doubling its valuation to €640M. The company plans to expand into pensions and AI-powered investing tools.
UpvestTL;DR:
- Upvest's $125M raise and valuation jump show investors are still betting on European fintech infrastructure.
- The company processed 100M+ orders in 2025 through partnerships with banks like N26, Revolut, and DKB.
- New capital will fund pension product support, aiming to cut client launch times from years to months.
- AI tools for automated, personalized investing are next on the roadmap.
- A $35M debt facility helps the company scale while working toward profitability.
Berlin Fintech Scales Up Amid Retail Boom
Upvest, a Berlin-based provider of API-first investment infrastructure, has secured $125 million in new financing. The package includes $90 million in equity led by Sapphire Ventures and Tencent, with participation from existing backers Bessemer Venture Partners and BlackRock. A $35 million debt facility is in final stages. Announced on March 17, 2026, the deal values Upvest at €640 million—nearly double its €360 million valuation from a December 2024 Series C.
Founded in 2017, Upvest builds modular infrastructure for banks, brokers, and wealth managers who want to offer trading without building everything themselves. The company processed more than 100 million client orders in 2025 across over 30 institutions, including DKB, Santander's Openbank, Revolut, and N26.
CEO Martin Kassing said the funding arrived just 12 months after the prior round. Sapphire Ventures partner Andreas Weiskam pointed to Upvest's enterprise platform and plans to expand into new asset classes and AI capabilities.
Pensions and AI on the Roadmap
The capital will fund platform improvements, including support for tax-advantaged accounts and pensions like Germany's Altersvorsorgedepot and the UK's SIPPs. Upvest wants to help clients launch these products in months instead of years. The company also plans AI-powered tools for personalized, automated investing.
This fits a broader pattern in European fintech: as banks unbundle services, they need scalable infrastructure they don't have to build. Upvest's API platform lets institutions add stock trading, ETFs, and other products without starting from scratch. The company reports double-digit monthly order growth. The debt component strengthens the balance sheet as Upvest works toward profitability.
The round stage is undisclosed, but follows a €100 million Series C in late 2024 led by Hedosophia and Sapphire Ventures. Upvest's client base serves millions of end users.
| Funding Detail | Information | |---------------|-------------| | Project | Upvest | | Sector/Category | Fintech / Investment Infrastructure | | Funding Round | Undisclosed (Post-Series C) | | Amount Raised | $125 million ($90 million equity + $35 million debt) | | Valuation | €640 million | | Lead Investors | Sapphire Ventures, Tencent | | Notable Participants | Bessemer Venture Partners, BlackRock | | Announcement Date | March 17, 2026 | | Disclosure Gaps | Total funding to date not specified; exact debt terms pending finalization |
- Sapphire Ventures and Tencent led the equity portion, bringing cross-border interest to European fintech infrastructure.
- Bessemer and BlackRock participated again, continuing their support from earlier rounds.
- The funding goes toward localized pension products and AI-driven advisory tools.
- Upvest processed over 100 million orders in 2025, reflecting strong retail investing demand in Europe.
- No changes to crypto strategy were announced, though the platform supports various asset classes for clients like Revolut.
The deal shows continued institutional interest in infrastructure companies that connect consumer apps to regulated markets. Kassing said the funds will help Upvest expand into Europe's largest markets and build out offerings for retail investors.
Bottom line: Investor interest in European fintech infrastructure remains strong, and Upvest is using the capital to chase pensions and AI before competitors catch up.