Upstream: Breaking Industry Barriers with the Ultimate Trading App for Global Investors

How Upstream is breaking the glass ceiling for investors to access stocks from all markets

By Fernanda De La Torre

Upstream, a MERJ Exchange market, is a global trading app committed to breaking industry barriers by enabling investors from all over the world to invest in U.S. public companies that were previously out of their reach from one place.

Most other trading apps you download today offer windows into exchanges. They are connected to stockbrokers who then sell this retail order flow to market makers for exchange execution.

Upstream is unique in giving investors direct access to the exchange and stocks from markets all over the world through one user-friendly trading app, thereby eliminating the need for a stockbroker.

The transparency doesn’t end there. Upstream features real-time trades, peer-to-peer, instant settlement, and transparent orderbooks with no market makers and no payment for order flow.

Upstream is dedicated to creating a trading platform that promotes investor diversity and cross-border price discovery, opening new opportunities for investors worldwide to trade efficiently, transparently, and fairly.

In the past few weeks, Upstream has welcomed three dual listing issuers, Nutriband (Upstream: NTRB), Jupiter Wellness (Upstream: JUPW), and Creatd (Upstream: CRTD) to its blockchain-powered market, with many other companies in the application process to dual list. Issuers seeking dual listing are interested in greater liquidity potential, widening their investor pool, and trading on an exchange where market manipulations are actively prevented through blockchain technology.

Through Upstream, companies can expand their investor base beyond their home country to international investors who can trade using cryptocurrency in the form of USDC stablecoin, credit, debit, PayPal, and bank transfers. Investors experience streamlined onboarding with FDIC-insured cash accounts for U.S. and non-U.S. users.

The Current Barriers for International Investors

While the United States is well-known for its competitive online brokerage industry, the same cannot be said for the rest of the world. There are several hurdles with current global securities trading, some of which are as follows:

• It can be difficult for international investors to seamlessly buy U.S. equities without going through an intermediary like a local brokerage firm
• It’s not accessible for everyday investors to gain access to foreign markets and investment opportunities from one place
• Most other trading apps you download today are connected to a stockbroker who executes the trades
• Trading hours that don’t match U.S. markets’ time zones, leading to missed opportunities
• T+2 settlement windows
• Lack of transparency for how investors' orders are being executed by market makers and whether they’re getting prices with a secret market maker spread built-in
• Lack of access for regular retail investors
• Lack of ability to use credit cards or cryptocurrency to buy traditional U.S. equities

Upstream is the Solution

Upstream is positioned to address the common hurdles encountered by international investors in equity trading markets. We simplify the investment process for international investors and reduce the complexity of the current trading process by providing a single app-based platform for trading equities from all markets.

Here are some of the features that Upstream provides its traders:

• One central trading hub- Upstream offers investors around the globe direct access to the market and equities from different markets through one user-friendly trading app.
• Investor protections- Upstream is a global trading app with streamlined onboarding for investors and FDIC-insured cash accounts for U.S. and non-U.S. investors.
• Accessibility- Upstream aims to break the glass ceiling in trading, allowing investors of all levels access to a diverse range of issuers directly from their smartphones with modern payment methods.
• Expanded trading hours- Upstream’s trading hours are 20 hours a day, 5 days a week for greater global access.
• Blockchain advantages- Transparent smart-contract orderbooks, real-time trading with biometrically protected cryptographic transactions with an instant settlement, and Web3 opportunities like coupons offering digital rewards to shareholders from select Upstream issuers
• Access with fiat and cryptocurrency- we have created the ability to use alternative asset classes like Bitcoin and ETH that can then be swapped into USDC, deposited into Upstream, and used to buy traditional U.S. equities. We’re able to do this because Upstream, a MERJ Exchange Market, is powered by Ethereum blockchain technology.
• No predatory manipulative activities allowed- Upstream has no market makers, no stockbrokers, no short selling, no stock lending, and no payment for order flow, and we allow individual investors to directly place their bids and offers on a transparent orderbook, and allow securities to avoid the market gyrations and manipulations that occur in other capital markets.

It’s important to note that if you are a U.S. or Canadian-based citizen or permanent resident that has invested in a company that’s listed on Upstream, you may transfer your shares to Upstream and sell them on Upstream’s trading app for liquidation purposes only.

You are not permitted to purchase shares listed on Upstream at this time. Anyone may claim issuer coupons or trade NFTs on Upstream.

Conclusion

Upstream is disrupting the trading industry by removing the barriers that have limited investors’ ability to invest in companies all over the world, and it is actively working to establish itself as the premiere global trading app.

Upstream is actively accepting dual-listing applications from NASDAQ, NYSE, OTC Markets & International Issuers that are seeking to offer their shares to a modern-day investor pool that accepts USDC cryptocurrency and traditional payments. Learn more at: https://upstream.exchange/GetListed or reach the team at hello@upstream.exchange.

For our growing investor community, we are just getting started on introducing unique issuers to the platform to browse. Download today at https://upstream.exchange.

Disclaimers:

This communication shall not constitute an offer to sell securities or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction where such offer or solicitation is not permitted.

Commemorative NFTs are for utility, collection, and display only.

Redeemable NFTs and Commemorative NFTs are not securities and may be bought and sold globally, including by U.S. and Canadian persons.

U.S. and Canadian persons are not permitted to purchase Upstream-listed securities but are permitted to sell securities they currently own, that have been listed on Upstream, for liquidation purposes only.

If funding Upstream with an ACH or wire bank payment, users must complete Upstream’s in-app KYC process to get their new, FDIC-insured, Upstream U.S. bank account details via email. Users may then initiate a funds-transfer from their bank or financial institution to this new U.S. Dollar bank account. If you haven’t completed KYC yet or didn’t select ‘Bank’ as the ‘Deposit From’ option when you completed the process initially, then please go through KYC again selecting the ‘Bank’ payment method. Users may complete the simple KYC process by tapping the settings icon and the KYC option inside the Upstream app.

Upstream is a MERJ Exchange market. MERJ Exchange is a licensed Securities Exchange, an affiliate of the World Federation of Exchanges, and a full member of ANNA. MERJ supports global issuers of traditional and digital securities through the entire asset life cycle from issuance to trading, clearing, settlement, and registry. It operates a fair and transparent marketplace in line with international best practices and principles of operations of financial markets. Upstream does not endorse or recommend any public or private securities bought or sold on its app. Upstream does not offer investment advice or recommendations of any kind. All services offered by Upstream are intended for self-directed clients who make their own investment decisions without aid or assistance from Upstream. All customers are subject to the rules and regulations of their jurisdiction. By accessing the site or app, you agreed to be bound by its terms of use and privacy policy. Company and security listings on Upstream are only suitable for investors who are familiar with and willing to accept the high risk associated with speculative investments, often in early and development stage companies. There can be no assurance the valuation of any particular company’s securities is accurate or in agreement with the market or industry comparative valuations. Investors must be able to afford market volatility and afford the loss of their investment. Companies listed on Upstream are subject to significant ongoing corporate obligations including, but not limited to disclosure, filings, and notification requirements, as well as compliance with applicable quantitative and qualitative listing standards.

Forward-Looking Statements:

This communication contains “forward-looking statements.” Such statements may be preceded by the words “intends,” “may,” “will,” “plans,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “predicts,” “estimates,” “aims,” “believes,” “hopes,” “potential,” or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, and cannot be predicted or quantified, and, consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with (i) difficulties in obtaining financing on commercially reasonable terms; (ii) changes in the size and nature of our competition; (iii) loss of one or more key executives or brand ambassadors; and (iv) changes in legal or regulatory requirements in the markets in which we operate. The Company assumes no obligation to publicly update or revise its forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.