Horizon’s latest milestones & upcoming projects
A mid-year look at our latest milestones & what to look forward to
By Vanessa Malone
At the end of 2020, Horizon announced the launch of two key marketplaces we built and are powering: Upstream, the digital stock exchange and trading app; and the fan engagement platform, Global Fan Exchange “GFX”.
As we reach mid-year, we’d like to update our growing community on the milestones Horizon has reached surrounding these markets and our other technology pursuits.
We’ve also made some changes to our Horizon website for you to explore.
Upstream
Upstream is a MERJ Exchange Market, which is an affiliate of the World Federation of Exchanges. The next generation exchange and trading app for digital securities is targeting three major markets: equity crowdfunding, digital SPACs, and celebrity/athlete ventures.
- Equity crowdfunding: Over the last few years, billions have been invested in early-stage companies, yet no real-time dedicated exchange has existed to provide exit-liquidity. Upstream will enable crowdfunded securities to trade in real-time from the user-friendly trading app.
- Tokenized SPACs: Upstream has introduced tokenized SPACs which will give retail investors direct access to listed SPAC IPOs using crypto in the form of USDC stablecoin or USD. Upstream’s first SPAC IPOs have an anticipated size range of US$25 million to US$100 million.
- Celebrity/athlete ventures: Upstream will support securities offerings tied to fan-driven asset classes including athletes, sports teams, celebrities, and musicians. Through Upstream’s affiliation with Horizon’s fan engagement platform Global Fan Exchange, we aim to make Upstream the go-to place for fans to invest, drive awareness, and share in the success of celebrity ventures.
Investors should look forward to direct access to a regulated stock exchange through a userfriendly trading app, participation using USDC stablecoin and USD, and transparency enforced by blockchain technology.
Global Fan Exchange
Global Fan Exchange, the Horizon-powered fan engagement platform led by leaders in sports and entertainment, has expanded its methodology beyond athletes.
Fans will be given the opportunity to own a stake in the success of their favorite athletes, sports teams, musicians, and entertainers. Fan engagement continues to rapidly evolve and has been expedited by the COVID-19 pandemic. GFX represents a revolutionary opportunity for athletes and celebrities to leverage their personal brand to fund their ventures while giving back to fans who played a major role in their success. In exchange for letting fans own a percentage of the venture, fans become brand ambassadors with a vested interest in the athlete or celebrity’s success.
Additional milestones
In addition to Upstream and GFX, Horizon’s technology is actively powering the first fully securitized bond market in Latin America. Through a licensing agreement with Piemonte Holding, Horizon built the A-rated Brazilian financial institution a first of its kind bond issuance and secondary exchange for its private investors which is live today.
Conclusion
Horizon is working hard to build and operate next generation securities exchanges. Our goal is to unlock liquidity for traditionally illiquid assets and give everyday investors greater access to investment opportunities traditionally reserved for high-net worth individuals. Be sure to follow us here and sign up for our newsletter to be one of the first to hear about upcoming launches and important updates: https://www.horizonfintex.com/.
