--- title: EquityZen Blog - Private Market Insights | Shareholder Education description: Shareholder Education | The EquityZen Blog is the hub for private market insights. Whether you want to buy or sell pre-IPO shares, EquityZen is the marketplace for accessing pre-IPO equity. Learn more at EquityZen.com. --- [![EquityZen](https://blog.equityzen.com/hubfs/equityzen-logo.svg "EquityZen")](https://equityzen.com/) - [Investments](https://equityzen.com/explore/) - [Explore](https://equityzen.com/explore-private-market/) - How it Works - [Investors](https://equityzen.com/investor/) - [Shareholders](https://equityzen.com/shareholder/) - [Institutions](https://equityzen.com/institutions/) - [Issuers](https://equityzen.com/issuers/) - [Financial Advisors](https://equityzen.com/financial-advisors/) - [Insights](https://blog.equityzen.com/) - [Login](https://equityzen.com/accounts/login/) - [Sign Up](https://equityzen.com/accounts/register/) [Back to insights](https://blog.equityzen.com) # Shareholder Education [Market Views](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/market-views) [In the News](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/in-the-news) [Investor Education](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/investor-education) [Investor Basics](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/investor-basics) [IPO News](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/ipo-news) [From Our Founders](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/from-our-founders) [Shareholder Education](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/shareholder-education) [Company News](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/company-news) [Video](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/video) [Podcasts](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/podcasts) [Getting Started](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/getting-started) [Product Updates](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/product-updates) [Investor Advanced](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/investor-advanced) [Financial Advisors](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/financial-advisors) [Awards](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/awards) [Monthly Movers](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/monthly-movers) ![My Stock Options are Vested. Why Can't I Sell Them? ](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2156278649.jpg?width=812&height=446&name=shutterstock_2156278649.jpg) ##### My Stock Options are Vested. Why Can't I Sell Them? The path to IPO is longer than ever, with many private companies now over 10 years old. If you're a ... Shareholder Education 4 min read ![EquityZen Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder Phil Haslett joins QSBS, Solved](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202025-08-20%20at%204.11.05%20PM.png?width=812&height=446&name=Screenshot%202025-08-20%20at%204.11.05%20PM.png) ##### EquityZen Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Phil Haslett joins QSBS, Solved EquityZen Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Phil Haslett joins "QSBS, Solved" to break down why ... Shareholder Education \<1 min read ![example of a capitalization table](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2159226633.jpg?width=812&height=446&name=shutterstock_2159226633.jpg) ##### How Dilution Impacts Private Company Investments New funding round? Learn how equity dilution affects private company stock ownership. Understand cap... Shareholder Education 8 min read ![Understanding Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs)](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_1951565062%20(1).jpg?width=812&height=446&name=shutterstock_1951565062%20(1).jpg) ##### Understanding Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) Liquidity for shareholders, pre-IPO access for investors: SPVs make it happen in the private market.... Shareholder Education 7 min read ![Effective Strategies for Selling Your Shares: Understanding Public vs. Private Market Secondaries](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_2536116965.jpg?width=812&height=446&name=shutterstock_2536116965.jpg) ##### Effective Strategies for Selling Your Shares: Understanding Public vs. Private Market Secondaries Selling private tech shares isn't like public markets. Confused? Early employees need to know these ... Shareholder Education 6 min read ![Fund/Build/Scale: What Your CEO Won't Tell You About Your Stock Options](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/unnamed-Apr-13-2025-12-56-02-2021-AM.png?width=812&height=446&name=unnamed-Apr-13-2025-12-56-02-2021-AM.png) ##### Fund/Build/Scale: What Your CEO Won't Tell You About Your Stock Options In the latest Fund/Build/Scale episode, Phil Haslett, Co-Founder of EquityZen, joins Walter Thompson... Shareholder Education 1 min read ![Understanding Stock Options: A Guide for Early Employees](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_755327206-2.jpg?width=812&height=446&name=shutterstock_755327206-2.jpg) ##### Understanding Stock Options: A Guide for Early Employees Employee stock options can be a valuable part of compensation, especially for early employees at pri... Shareholder Education 7 min read ![What Equity Compensation Means for Startup Employees](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_1076070470-1.jpg?width=812&height=446&name=shutterstock_1076070470-1.jpg) ##### What Equity Compensation Means for Startup Employees Here we’ll break down the basics of incentive compensation at startups and identify key consideratio... Shareholder Education 5 min read ![green field with sunflowers](https://blog.equityzen.com/hs-fs/hubfs/shutterstock_1462752974.jpg?width=812&height=446&name=shutterstock_1462752974.jpg) ##### Same-Day Exercise: A Smart Alternative to Non-Recourse Loans for Exercising Stock Options Discover how EquityZen simplifies exercising stock options for startup employees, offering your clie... Shareholder Education 6 min read [1](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/shareholder-education/page/1) [2](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/shareholder-education/page/2) [3](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/shareholder-education/page/3) [Next](https://blog.equityzen.com/tag/shareholder-education/page/2) #### The Potential to Shape the Future Join over 700,000 investors and shareholders accessing the private markets with EquityZen [![Get Started](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/20754585/b1b6ba1b-ed6d-4097-8816-bcd01b3b9828.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/20754585/b1b6ba1b-ed6d-4097-8816-bcd01b3b9828) #### Company - [About](https://equityzen.com/about/) - [Careers](https://equityzen.com/careers/) - [Press](https://equityzen.com/press/) #### Policies & Disclosures - [Disclosures](https://equityzen.com/disclosures/) - [Business Continuity Plan](https://equityzen.com/bcp/) - [Privacy Policy](https://equityzen.com/privacy/) - [Allocation Policy](https://equityzen.com/allocation-policy/) - [Form CRS](https://equityzen.com/form-crs/) #### Help - [Help Center](https://help.equityzen.com/en/) - [Getting Started](https://help.equityzen.com/en/collections/5549447-getting-started) - [Status Page](https://status.equityzen.com/) #### Connect - [![Facebook](https://blog.equityzen.com/hubfs/facebook-1.svg)](https://www.facebook.com/EquityZen) - [![Instagram](https://blog.equityzen.com/hubfs/instagram-1.svg)](https://www.instagram.com/equityzen_/) - [![Vector (8)](https://blog.equityzen.com/hubfs/Vector%20(8).svg)](https://twitter.com/EquityZen) - [![Linked In](https://blog.equityzen.com/hubfs/linkedin-1.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/equityzen) Investment opportunities posted on this website are "private placements" of securities that are not publicly traded, are subject to holding period requirements, and are intended for investors who do not need a liquid investment. Investing in private companies may be considered highly speculative and involves a high degree of risk, including the risk of substantial loss of investment. Investors must be able to afford the loss of their entire investment. See [our Risk Factors](https://equityzen.com/risk-factors/) for a more detailed explanation of the risks involved by investing through EquityZen’s platform.   EquityZen Securities LLC (“EquityZen Securities”) is a subsidiary of EquityZen Inc. EquityZen Securities is a broker/dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is a [FINRA](http://www.finra.org/)/[SIPC](https://www.sipc.org/) member firm.   Equity securities are offered through EquityZen Securities. Check the background of this firm on [FINRA’s BrokerCheck](https://brokercheck.finra.org/firm/summary/281820).   EquityZen Inc. was awarded a 2024 Fintech Breakthrough Award by Tech Breakthrough LLC on March 19, 2025, based on the prior year and covering calendar year 2024, and has compensated FinTech Breakthrough LLC for use of its name and logo in connection with the award. FinTech Breakthrough LLC is a third party and has no affiliation with EquityZen.   EquityZen created the ticker symbols referenced on this page for use solely on the EquityZen platform. They do not refer to any publicly traded stock. EquityZen does not have an affiliation with, formal relationship with, or endorsement from any of the companies featured and none of the statements on the site should be attributed to those companies.   “Market Activity” and other transactional data displayed on this website is compiled by EquityZen and is confidential and historical in nature. 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