The IPO of Funding Circle is a milestone in its evolution, and it is the first of Britain’s fintech “unicorns” to come to the public markets. It is a milestone for Europe’s fintech sector, demonstrating the growing maturity of ambitious companies in this emerging sector.
For its CEO and co-founder Samir Desai, Funding Circle’s IPO is also an important step in further “engendering trust” in the company’s business with investors, borrowers and regulators.
“We always said that we wanted to be a public company,” he explains. “This is a trust-based business, so being a public company fits with our values of transparency and openness.” “We have always believed Funding Circle would be well-suited to the public markets and our listing is recognition of the strength and global impact of our model.”