Better Markets Is Live

Today, February 16, 2026, Better Markets is officially open for trading.

We set out to build something that didn't exist: a real exchange for private equity. Not a brokerage with six-figure minimums and multi-week settlement. Not a marketplace that requires you to prove your wealth before you can participate. An exchange—with real-time pricing, instant settlement, and access for anyone.

That's what went live today.

What's Available

Better Markets launches with access to more than 100 private companies spanning AI, space, fintech, biotech, defense, and enterprise software. The companies investors have been asking about most are all here:

• SpaceX — valued at $1.5 trillion ahead of its expected 2026 IPO
• OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT, valued at $300 billion
• Stripe — the $91 billion fintech infrastructure giant
• Anthropic — the AI safety company behind Claude
• Databricks — data intelligence platform valued at $62 billion
• Anduril — defense technology, $28 billion valuation
• SpaceX Pre-IPO SPV — a new structured vehicle for concentrated SpaceX exposure

And more than 100 others across every major private sector.

How It Works

If you've ever bought a stock on a public exchange, Better Markets will feel familiar. If you haven't, it's designed to be simpler than most people expect.

Create an account at bettermarkets.app. Verification takes minutes.

Fund your account via bank transfer, card, or crypto.

Browse markets and buy shares in the companies you believe in. Starting from $1.

Sell anytime. 24/7 liquidity with instant settlement. No lock-ups. No waiting for counterparty matching.

That's it. No PDFs. No phone calls to a broker. No six-week settlement timelines.

What Makes This Different

We've spent the last year talking to investors who tried to access private markets through existing platforms. The pattern was consistent: high minimums, slow settlement, opaque pricing, and fee structures that made small positions uneconomical.

Better Markets was designed around the opposite of each of those constraints:

$1 minimums. Private equity shouldn't require private equity-sized capital. Fractional access means you can build a position at your own pace.

Zero fees. No transaction fees. No management fees. No custody fees. The price you see is what you pay.

Instant settlement. When you buy, you own it immediately. When you sell, funds are available immediately. Traditional secondary platforms settle in weeks—sometimes months.

24/7 trading. Markets don't sleep, and neither does Better Markets. Buy or sell on your schedule, not ours.

Real-time pricing. Transparent order books with genuine price discovery. Not indicative quotes. Not stale NAVs. Live prices reflecting actual supply and demand.

Why Today

Private markets have been growing for years. The most valuable technology companies stay private longer—often a decade or more. The returns generated during that private phase have historically been substantial, and historically inaccessible to most investors.

That disparity isn't a law of nature. It's a structural problem. And structural problems can be solved with better infrastructure.

We spent the past year building that infrastructure. Today it's ready.

What Comes Next

Launch day is a starting point. Over the coming weeks and months:

• Additional companies will be listed as demand and liquidity grow
• Institutional-grade APIs will open for fintechs and wealth managers
• New market features—including limit orders, recurring investments, and portfolio analytics—will roll out
• Coverage will expand across geographies and asset classes

We're building this for the long term. The goal isn't to create a product that works today and stagnates tomorrow. It's to build the infrastructure layer that makes private equity as accessible, liquid, and transparent as public markets.

Getting Started

If you've been waiting for a simpler way to invest in private companies, the wait is over.

Start trading on Better Markets →

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Better Markets launch?

Better Markets officially launched on February 16, 2026, opening private equity trading to investors globally.

What can I trade on Better Markets?

Over 100 private companies including SpaceX, OpenAI, Stripe, Anthropic, Databricks, Anduril, and many more across AI, space, fintech, biotech, defense, and enterprise software.

Is Better Markets free to use?

Yes. Better Markets charges zero platform fees—no transaction fees, no management fees, and no hidden charges.

Do I need to be an accredited investor?

No. Better Markets is open to all investors with no accreditation requirement, no minimum income, and no net worth threshold.

What is the minimum investment?

$1. Fractional shares allow you to start with any amount you're comfortable with.

How fast do trades settle?

Instantly. Unlike traditional secondary platforms that take weeks to settle, Better Markets provides immediate settlement on every trade.

For media inquiries, partnerships, or questions, reach out at hello@bettermarkets.app