Public.com

Public was founded in 2019 by Leif Abraham, Jannick Malling, and other co-founders, entering the commission-free retail trading app market, a category significantly shaped by Robinhood's earlier pioneering of zero-commission stock trading, but positioning itself with a somewhat different emphasis, incorporating social features that let users see (if they choose to make their portfolio activity public) what stocks and other assets other users on the platform are buying and discussing, along with an educational content emphasis aimed at helping less experienced investors better understand what they're investing in, a positioning partly developed in response to broader industry and regulatory concerns about whether some competing trading apps' gamified design elements encouraged excessive, poorly informed trading activity among inexperienced retail investors. Public's platform has notably differentiated itself by choosing not to accept payment for order flow, a common industry practice in which brokerages receive payment from market makers in exchange for routing customer trade orders to them, a practice that has funded free trading at many competing brokerages but has also drawn regulatory and public scrutiny regarding whether it might create conflicts of interest that could affect trade execution quality for customers, with Public instead pursuing alternative revenue models including a subscription tier and interest earned on customer cash balances. The company has expanded its available asset classes over time to include not only stocks and exchange-traded funds but also options trading, corporate and treasury bonds, and cryptocurrency, aiming to be a more comprehensive investing platform covering a broader range of asset classes than some narrower competing trading apps. Public's emphasis on financial education content and its social community features reflect an effort to differentiate on trust and investor knowledge-building rather than competing purely on trading speed or gamified engagement design. The company has raised substantial venture funding from investors including Accel, Tiger Global, and Will Smith's Dreamers VC, reaching a valuation exceeding $1.2 billion, competing with Robinhood and other retail trading platforms.

News

9/22/2026

Public.com Launches Reserve Membership with 3.75% APY and 4% IRA Match

Public.com enhances its offerings with the Reserve membership tier, providing members a 3.75% APY on cash and a 4% IRA match for $20/month.

PR Newswire

5/14/2026

Public.com Partners with Enhanced, Raises $400 Million

The partnership between Public and Enhanced, backed by $400 million in funding, positions them to disrupt traditional finance and sports industries, potentially reshaping investment access and athlete welfare through innovative, co-branded initiatives.

PR Newswire

5/6/2026

Public.com Acquires Treasury App, Managing $400M in Assets

Public's acquisition of Treasury App not only enhances its educational offerings but also strategically positions the brokerage to leverage AI-driven investing, potentially attracting a broader user base and increasing its competitive edge in a rapidly evolving market.

PR Newswire

3/25/2026

Public.com Launches Crypto Trading in IRAs, Raises $400M

By integrating crypto trading into IRAs, Public.com not only enhances its competitive edge in the retirement investment market but also positions itself to attract a broader base of affluent investors seeking innovative wealth accumulation strategies.

PR Newswire

2/11/2026

Public.com Partners with Level2 for No-Code Trading Solutions

By partnering with Level2 to offer no-code trading solutions, Public.com enhances retail investors' access to sophisticated trading strategies, potentially increasing user engagement and solidifying its competitive position in the rapidly evolving investment landscape.

PR Newswire