What is a secondary market in venture capital
Updated 26 Oct 2026
- Secondary market
- Buying existing shares from an earlier holder rather than new shares from the company. No new money reaches the company.
By country
United States55
Hong Kong7
United Kingdom5
United Arab Emirates5
Israel4
India4
Spain3
Switzerland3
Denmark3
Singapore3
Table 1. Secondary purchasers by country. Source: FundingWatcher. Data as of 26 October 2026. Base: 126.
Investment stages
Early stage investors78
Late stage investors76
Secondary market investors71
Seed investors62
Venture investors46
Private equity investors46
Table 2. Secondary purchasers by investment stage. An investor can carry several. Source: FundingWatcher. Data as of 26 October 2026. Base: 126.