Wise just made a bold move. The UK fintech announced it’s shifting its primary listing to the U.S., while also extending its dual-class share structure — meaning founders and early execs keep extra voting rights until at least 2036.

That may sound like a dry investor headline. But underneath it is a very real question for fintech founders:

Who’s in charge as your startup grows? And what markets are actually built to support you?

Wise isn’t a scrappy upstart anymore. It’s publicly listed, profitable, and handles billions in cross-border payments. But it still wants more growth — and, clearly, more control over how that growth is governed.

And that’s the bigger story here:

• Europe’s fintech champions are increasingly eyeing U.S. capital markets.
  
  
• Founders are negotiating not just valuations, but power structures.
  
  
• And governance is being used — strategically — as a growth tool, not just a legal requirement.

So this move from Wise isn’t random. It’s a data point in a larger shift. And if you’re building a fintech, you should be taking notes.

What fintech startups can learn from this?

The U.S. still wins on scale and appetite

Wise wants deeper markets, more volume, and investor attention that London hasn’t quite delivered. That’s not a diss to the UK — it’s just reality. The U.S. exchanges still lead when it comes to liquidity, tech-friendly investors, and growth-stage capital. Founders aiming for public markets should factor this in early — especially if you’re building something global from day one.

Control matters, especially when growth gets noisy

By extending its dual-class share structure, Wise’s leadership made it clear: they want to keep long-term vision intact, even under public scrutiny. Whether you agree or not, the principle is simple — growth often brings pressure. If you want to retain direction, plan your cap table and voting structure before you need to.

Governance isn’t just paperwork, it’s a message

Some investors didn’t love that Wise bundled the U.S. listing and the voting rights extension into a single decision. That’s a good reminder: how you structure governance decisions sends signals. Transparency, separation of powers, clarity — these matter to serious investors, even at early stages. It’s not just about what you decide; it’s how you bring people along.

Global ambition means acting global early

Wise isn’t “leaving” the UK — it’s scaling beyond it. That’s a mindset shift for many startups. If your vision includes multiple markets, start operating that way before the Series B. Build in flexibility, compliance readiness, and investor relations strategy that can travel across borders. The earlier you think globally, the easier it is to move when the time comes.

Going public doesn’t mean giving up control

There’s still a myth that IPOs mean “selling out.” Not true. What Wise shows is that with the right structure and story, you can be public and founder-led. You just have to be intentional — not reactive — about it. It’s not about hoarding power; it’s about protecting the mission through the messy middle of scale.

If you’re building a fintech and wondering how to scale without losing control, get in touch with Your Fintech Story. We help startups grow on their own terms.