An accredited investor is a person or entity the SEC allows to invest in certain private securities offerings. Individuals generally qualify by meeting income, net worth, or professional certification tests; entities qualify under asset or structure rules.[6]
Access to pre-IPO shares is available to accredited investors through UpMarket.
Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? shares are not on public exchanges. UpMarket provides accredited investors access through secondary market transactions.
Confirm eligibility under SEC Rule 501 of Regulation D. Income or net worth threshold applies.
Complete KYC/AML onboarding. Typically 1–2 business days. Licensed rep assigned on signup.
Full offering memoranda and risk disclosures provided before any commitment is required.
Review and sign subscription agreement. All documents handled digitally through the platform.
Wire transfer or ACH. $50K minimum. Funds held in custodial account until close.
Pre-IPO investments are illiquid, speculative, and involve risk of total loss of capital.
SEC rules let only accredited investors buy many private-market securities, including shares in privately held companies. Individuals generally qualify through $1M+ net worth excluding primary residence or $200k/$300k income thresholds.
For private startup rounds, the issuer must confirm accredited status, and 506(c) offerings require reasonable verification steps. That means investors may need W-2s, tax returns, bank, or brokerage statements before they can participate.
Private tech companies can raise capital from accredited investors without public registration, which keeps early-stage funding concentrated in a narrower investor base. SEC guidance says these investors are expected to withstand risk and evaluate private securities themselves.
Interested in Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? stock? Fill out the form above or sign up directly. Subject to availability. Accredited investors only.
Request access →UpMarket curates and conducts independent diligence on every investment opportunity before it reaches the platform.
We review every offering's strategy, risk management, liquidity, fees, valuation methodology, tax matters, and all third-party providers — legal counsel, auditor, administrator, and custodian.
We offer investments exclusively from disciplined managers that pursue unique strategies across an array of asset classes.
Our goal is to empower you to build a portfolio that best meets your individual investment objectives.
No. As of March 2026, Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? is a private company and does not trade on any public stock exchange. Accredited investors can access Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? shares through UpMarket, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer that specializes in pre-IPO investments.
Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? does not have a public stock price because it is privately held. The most recent known share price comes from its last funding round. Pre-IPO share prices on the secondary market may differ from the last round price depending on supply, demand, and market conditions.
Yes. Accredited investors can indicate interest in Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? shares through UpMarket by filling out the form on this page or creating an account at upmarket.co. All pre-IPO offerings are subject to availability and require a $50,000 minimum investment. UpMarket is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and has brokered more than $500M in alternative investments since 2019.
Pre-IPO investments carry significant risks. Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? shares are illiquid, meaning there is no public market to sell them quickly. There is no guaranteed exit timeline or return. The investment is speculative in nature, and investors should be prepared for the possibility of total loss. Valuations of private companies can fluctuate substantially between funding rounds. Investors should consult their financial advisor and review all offering documents before investing.
In a pre-IPO transaction, accredited investors purchase shares from existing shareholders (such as employees, early investors, or other holders) through secondary market platforms. The company itself does not issue new shares in these transactions. UpMarket facilitates these trades as a FINRA-registered broker-dealer, handling compliance, documentation, and settlement on behalf of both parties.
There are two primary exit paths for pre-IPO holdings: selling your shares on the secondary market to another buyer, or holding until the company completes an IPO or is acquired. Both paths are subject to transfer restrictions, company approval (right of first refusal), and market conditions. The timing of any exit is unpredictable, and investors should plan for a multi-year holding period.
The minimum investment for most pre-IPO offerings on UpMarket is $50,000. This amount may vary depending on the specific offering and share availability. There are no fees to create an UpMarket account or browse available investments. Investors only pay transaction-related fees when they complete an investment.
UpMarket's valuation estimate of is derived from a proprietary model that incorporates multiple data sources: funding round data (Caplight), revenue estimates (Sacra), secondary market pricing, and public company comparables. The model applies a private company discount to the public comp multiple to account for illiquidity and information asymmetry. This estimate is not investment advice and may differ substantially from the price at which shares actually trade.
Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? helps individuals and entities determine SEC‑defined accredited investor status through income, net worth, or professional credential checks, unlocking eligibility for private technology offerings — accredited investors can access Investor Basics: Am I an Accredited Investor? stock through UpMarket.