Zip Co Seeks U.S. Investment

Zip Co is working to bridge the valuation gap between its rival Afterpay.

It is understood Zip Co management is lobbying for U.S. investment hoping to highlight its buy now, pay later platform and shine a light on its potential for growth in the world’s biggest economy where it owns Quadpay.

Also, Zip wants to consider the possibility of a U.S. listing with the company weighing up the value in issuing American Depository Receipts that would give it the ability to trade in the U.S., simultaneously giving the company greater access to U.S. capital markets.

This would also allow Zip to keep its primary listing on the Australian Securities Exchange while having a secondary listing for investors who would prefer to stick with the Nasdaq or NYSE.

If Zip was to attempt the (albeit nascent) American Depository Receipts plan, other Australian tech success would see it as a valuable inroad to higher market valuations. The move would also help Zip bridge the gap between main competitor Afterpay, which currently holds a $35 billion valuation advantage.

A new investment fund targeting celebrity-founded consumer brands has secured US$40 million in commitments and is rapidly approaching its US$50 million fundraising target, signalling growing investor appetite for alternative opportunities beyond traditional asset classes.

The Global Talent Fund, which has a maximum raise of US$100 million, focuses on building and investing in consumer businesses alongside celebrities, athletes, and influential personalities who play an active role as co-founders rather than simply endorsing products.

The strategy is based on the belief that changes in consumer behaviour, particularly the rise of social media and digital engagement, have fundamentally altered how brands are built and scaled.

GTF founding partner Jeremy Hunt, who is helping lead the fund’s strategy, said consumers increasingly feel connected to personalities they follow online and are more willing to support products developed by those individuals.

“Consumers are searching for content to engage with, and when a celebrity they like or follow takes them on the journey of creating a product or brand, they genuinely feel part of that process,” he said.

The fund is targeting high-growth consumer sectors including wellness, hydration, beauty and recovery, areas Hunt believes continue to benefit from strong global demand and ongoing innovation.

Rather than backing celebrity endorsement deals, the fund is seeking businesses where talent is deeply involved in product development, brand creation and long-term growth.

According to Hunt, authenticity remains one of the biggest differentiators between successful celebrity-backed brands and those that fail.

“The consumer can see clearly if someone is simply being paid to promote a product,” he said. “The winners are typically the brands where the celebrity has genuinely helped build the business from the ground up.”

The model has attracted support from several prominent Australian investors and business families, reflecting broader interest in alternative investments with global growth potential.

Hunt said consumer brands offered a level of tangibility that many investors found appealing.

“Consumer brands are what we touch, feel, smell and taste every day,” he said. “Our investors understand the growth potential in the model, but they also want to be part of the journey.”

The fund’s rapid progress towards its fundraising target comes amid growing recognition that celebrity influence, when combined with strong commercial execution and scalable business models, can create significant enterprise value.

With several high-profile celebrity-founded businesses generating billion-dollar exits in recent years, supporters of the strategy believe the opportunity remains in its early stages.

Zip Co Seeks U.S. Investment

The company may also be planning a second public listing.

With US$40 million already committed, the Global Talent Fund is attracting investor attention with a strategy focused on building globally scalable consumer brands alongside high-profile talent.