Canva shares trade on US platforms despite explicit company restrictions
Australian design giant Canva is appearing on US trading platforms despite the company forbidding such transactions, as demand for pre-IPO exposure continues to rise.
Australian design software giant Canva is attracting growing interest from investors ahead of its anticipated public listing, with its shares increasingly appearing on US-based secondary platforms such as Forge, Nasdaq PM, EquityZen and Hiive.
Private market exchanges enable the buying and selling of shares in high-growth private companies, connecting existing shareholders — often early employees or venture backers — with accredited buyers seeking exposure ahead of a public listing or exit.
But there is one major problem: Canva’s company policies restrict such activity.
Despite these restrictions, common shares on Hiive have been listed at prices ranging from USD1,100 ($1,670) to USD3,000, with the last accepted bid recorded at USD1,200. EquityZen is currently offering access to Class A common stock via a third-party vehicle at USD1,655.51 per share, with a minimum buy-in of USD50,000.
A Canva spokesperson told Capital Brief that "Canva doesn't permit secondary trading of its shares outside of company-facilitated processes and this is explicitly outlined in our ESOP and shareholder agreements."
