Arik Shtilman reveals for the first time: The date Rapyd will go public on NASDAQ

Arik Shtilman's name has recently made headlines following his struggle with the Recanati family for control of the Maccabi Tel Aviv basketball club. He has been vocal with firm statements and harsh criticism regarding the team's management, which is sponsored by Rapyd — the company he founded and leads, investing millions of shekels per season.

Regarding the company's highly anticipated IPO, estimates began two years ago suggesting that the Israeli fintech firm would be part of the third wave of technology IPOs between 2026 and 2027, though no official confirmation of preparations had been provided until now.

However, Arik Shtilman, founder and CEO of Rapyd, revealed on the "Double Dribble" podcast by Walla Sport that he expects the company to go public on the NASDAQ in about a year and a half. This marks the first time Shtilman has personally specified a concrete timeframe for the IPO, moving beyond the vague goals previously mentioned in interviews.

Rapyd, founded in 2015, has raised approximately $1.4 billion to date from private and institutional investors. The most notable round, involving about half a billion dollars roughly 18 months ago, was widely viewed by the market as organized preparation for a planned US IPO.

An IPO is an almost inevitable step for a company of this scale: beyond a certain threshold of size and valuation, private capital raises are no longer sufficient, and public funds are required. An IPO provides access to capital volumes that can significantly accelerate growth, acquisitions, and expansion.

However, the valuation reflects a more sober reality: at the peak of the high-tech bubble around 2022, Rapyd was traded in secondary private market transactions at a valuation of approximately $15 billion, making it Israel's most valuable private tech company. In recent years, however, reports have indicated a much more modest valuation of around $3-4 billion.

During the Walla podcast, questions were raised as to whether the recent headlines surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv were intended to boost the profile of Rapyd and Shtilman within the capital market.

It should be noted that Shtilman explicitly declared:

"Rapyd has almost no activity in Israel, all its activity is abroad, it is not traded on the Israeli stock exchange and it will also not be traded on the Israeli stock exchange."

This statement effectively puts an end to the possibility of the Israeli company being traded in Tel Aviv, at least for the foreseeable future.