Plaid, a company that connects financial applications to users' bank accounts, enabling payments and data verification, has allowed employees to sell some of their shares at an $8 billion valuation. The valuation represents a 31% increase from the $6.1 billion valuation the 13-year-old company achieved in April of last year, when it raised a $575 million round led by Franklin Templeton for partly the same purpose: purchasing shares from employees.
Klarna made its New York stock exchange debut this week, sending its market cap soaring to $15 billion-propelling around 40 staffers to millionaire status overnight, with its executive team gaining the most from the IPO. It's not the first time Klarna's success has created ultra-rich employees-at least 115 of the business' workers have hit seven-figure net worths since 2021. And staffers at other tech companies, including Nvidia, Canva, and Palantir who invested early have also made it to the exclusive wealth club.