Checkout.com vs Epic Games: employee equity compared
Secondary market prices, valuation trajectory, equity structure, and liquidity outlook for employees choosing between Checkout.com and Epic Games.
Checkout.com
Global payment infrastructure provider processing card, local, and alternative payment methods for enterprises at scale — customers include Revolut, Spotify, Pizza Hut, and Farfetch.
IPO possible 2026–2028 as scale builds. Secondary trades at a discount vs last round — exercise timing requires caution. No confirmed timeline; tender offers may provide interim liquidity.
Recurring revenue model; RSU (no exercise cost); secondary discount vs primary — price discovery ongoing; IPO likely once profitability demonstrated
Epic Games
Creator of Fortnite (350M+ registered players) and Unreal Engine (the dominant real-time 3D platform used in films, architecture, and automotive visualisation).
IPO possible 2026–2028 as scale builds. No confirmed timeline; tender offers may provide interim liquidity.
Consumer brand with network effects; ISO/NSO options; IPO when unit economics proven
Key differences for employees
Equity structure
Checkout.com grants RSU — no exercise cost. Your equity vests and converts to cash or shares automatically at a liquidity event. Epic Games grants ISO/NSO with strike prices from $60–$85.
Secondary market premium
The secondary market is pricing Checkout.com at a +-71% premium over its last primary round ($40B → $11.8B). Epic Games trades at +3% over its last round ($31.5B → $32.4B). A higher secondary premium signals stronger investor demand and potentially better near-term liquidity for employees looking to sell.
Revenue and growth
Checkout.com runs at $0.5B ARR, growing +20% YoY (solid). Epic Games runs at $5.5B ARR, growing +8% YoY. Revenue growth rate matters for equity because it drives the peer-multiple valuation — the method most correlated with exit multiples.
Liquidity timeline
Checkout.com: IPO possible 2026–2028 as scale builds. Secondary trades at a discount vs last round — exercise timing requires caution. No confirmed timeline; tender offers may provide interim liquidity.
Epic Games: IPO possible 2026–2028 as scale builds. No confirmed timeline; tender offers may provide interim liquidity.
Calculate your specific grant
Enter your actual shares, equity type, and strike price. PrivatePulse calculates your personal equity value at both companies using 4 independent methods.