Syfe (Singapore) Is Profitable, Launches Early Employee Share Buyback

In recent months, Syfe made two announcements that piqued my interest as an investor who has been actively using their products and services for the past few years.

In 2019, Syfe raised S$5.2 million, one of the largest seed rounds in Southeast Asia.

This was followed by Series A Funding Round (US$18.6 million) in 2020 and Series B Funding Round (US$30 million) in 2021.

Starter Guide To Funding Rounds

Series A, B, and C funding rounds are stages in a startup’s fundraising journey, with each stage generally aligning with specific growth milestones.

Here’s how each round might differs.

Syfe (Singapore) is already able to offer the “holistic offering of managed investment portfolios, cash management solutions and full-fledged brokerage” to customers.

With this round of funding, Syfe will look to launch similar products and services in Hong Kong and Australia, in addition to strategic investment opportunities or acquisition targets.

Syfe (Singapore) Is Profitable

There was a brief mention of Syfe stating that it became profitable in its home market (Singapore) in early 2024.

By focusing on efficient growth, they achieved a significant increase in both new customers and assets under management, with average client assets more than doubling since 2023.

Meanwhile, Syfe’s group revenue is on track for profitability by 2025, as reported by Tech In Asia.

This is definitely music to my ears because it means there is added certainty that Syfe will continue to be operational in Singapore for years to come. This adds stability to the management of my investment portfolio, including Syfe REIT+ and my Syfe Brokerage holdings.

If I am not mistaken, they are the second robo-advisor in Singapore to achieve profitability in Singapore after AutoWealth in 2020.

All eyes are now on the other behemoth in the robo-advisory scene in Singapore – Endowus.

They have been doing extremely well, and I’m hopeful that they will be making similar announcements relating to profitability soon.

Three Typical Reasons For Early Employee Share Buyback

Like what Syfe has announced in its news release, most private companies wait until they are much nearer to an IPO to offer such buybacks.

However, Syfe is bucking the trend by rolling out this initiative at a much earlier stage in our journey. What are the possible reasons for that?

1. Employee Retention and Motivation

Buybacks provide employees with liquidity, offering an opportunity to cash out a portion of their equity. This can be highly motivating, especially in startups where compensation relies heavily on stock options rather than high salaries.

By giving employees access to some of their equity’s cash value early, the company can increase morale and reduce turnover, retaining valuable team members without needing to wait for an IPO or acquisition event.

2. Reducing Dilution in Future Funding Rounds

If the startup buys back shares from employees, it reduces the need to issue new shares in future funding rounds, thereby lowering dilution for all shareholders, including current employees, founders, and investors.

This can be especially useful for consolidating ownership and maintaining the ownership structure as the company grows, giving it more flexibility in negotiations during later rounds of funding, if any. This control can make the startup more attractive to new investors who often prefer to invest in companies with a streamlined ownership structure. Additionally, maintaining control over who holds equity can help ensure that ownership is aligned with the company’s long-term goals.

3. Sending A Strong Signal To The Market And Investors

By buying back shares, Syfe might signal to the market, investors, and employees that it has a strong financial position and believes its stock is undervalued or that it wants to take steps to optimize its capital structure. A well-executed share buyback can indicate confidence in the company’s future and increase trust among employees and potential investors, as it demonstrates that the company has sufficient resources to reward its team without compromising long-term growth potential.

Syfe Referral Code – Cash Reward & Fee Waivers

If my blog post has helped you decide whether to invest with Syfe, you will be delighted to know that you can use my exclusive referral code (TURTLEINVESTOR) to give your portfolio a head-start as a new Syfe client. Learn more about the Syfe Referral program here.

I earn rewards only when you do, so we share in the benefits together — a win-win for both of us!

Thanks for reading! Do drop me a comment or message if you’ve found this helpful.

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Kevin started Turtle Investor when his net worth languished at negative $25,755. His desire to turn things around led him to build passive income from investments and side hustles that pay for his daily expenses and vacations. You can learn more about Kevin here.