Selling shares · Backbase

How to sell your Backbase shares

Hold vested shares or options in Backbase (fintech software, the Netherlands)? Here's how a private secondary sale works, the rules that apply in the Netherlands, who buys, and what to expect.

Backbase is a private fintech software company headquartered in the Netherlands. If you hold vested shares or options in Backbase and want to turn part of that into cash before an IPO or acquisition, this is a plain-English guide to how a private secondary sale actually works — and what's specific to Backbase and to the Netherlands.

Independent guide. PrivateTechShares is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Backbase. This is general educational information for people who already hold Backbase shares or options. Always check your own share/option agreements and take professional advice.

Can you sell Backbase shares before an exit?

Often, yes. Selling existing shares you own in a private company to a private buyer, before the company is sold or lists, is called a secondary sale. It's possible for Backbase shares if they're vested and transferable, and once you've cleared Backbase's transfer rules. There's no public market for a private company, so a sale is a private, negotiated transfer — not a click of a button.

What you probably hold

First, pin down what you actually have. In the Netherlands, startup equity is usually held as depositary receipts (certificaten) via a STAK, or options. You can generally only sell shares, so if you hold options you typically exercise them (pay the strike price to convert them into shares) before you can sell. Check your grant documents for your vested amount, strike price and any deadlines.

The rules that apply in the Netherlands

How a sale works, and how it's taxed, depends on the rules in the Netherlands — transfer formalities, any right of first refusal, and the tax on a gain. We've written a dedicated plain-English guide: selling startup shares in the Netherlands. Read it alongside this page.

Who buys Backbase shares

There are four realistic buyers, roughly in order: Backbase itself (if it runs a buyback or tender), existing investors or shareholders (often via a right of first refusal), the investor in Backbase's next funding round, and — when those don't apply — a private individual investor who wants exposure to Backbase. Recognisable names like Backbase tend to attract private-investor interest; the hard part is finding that buyer discreetly, which is the gap we fill.

What to expect on price

A private, minority, all-cash secondary usually happens at a discount to Backbase's last headline valuation — because the buyer takes an illiquid stake with no guaranteed exit, and because you likely hold common shares, which are worth less than investors' preferred shares. That's normal, not a trick. See what discount is fair for a realistic range.

Thinking about selling your Backbase shares?

You can list them privately — you stay anonymous until an investor signs an NDA, and you only pay a fee if a deal actually closes. We focus on exactly these small European secondaries (€10k–€750k).

List your shares →

Hold options and weighing whether to exercise first? The exercise & tax calculators (US) and the valuation estimator can help you put a number on it.

Questions people ask

Can I sell my Backbase shares before an exit?

Often yes. If you hold vested, transferable shares in Backbase you can sell them to a private buyer in a secondary before an IPO or acquisition, subject to Backbase's transfer rules — typically a right of first refusal and board or company approval. If you hold options rather than shares, you generally exercise them into shares first. Backbase is a private company, so there is no public market; a sale is a private, negotiated transfer.

How much are my Backbase shares worth?

There is no live price for a private company like Backbase. A rough estimate starts from the price per share at its most recent funding round, adjusted for your share class (common shares are usually worth less than the preferred shares investors hold) and a discount for selling a private, minority, illiquid stake. Use our free valuation estimator as a starting point, and remember it is only an estimate.

Who buys Backbase shares?

Four types of buyer: Backbase itself (via a buyback or tender, if it runs one), existing investors or shareholders (often via a right of first refusal), the investor in an upcoming funding round, or a private individual investor seeking exposure to Backbase. Well-known names often attract private-investor interest, which is where an introductions-only marketplace helps.