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🚀 IPO Weekly Wrap-Up: Crypto Giant Grayscale Goes Public

November 9-15, 2025: $35B Crypto Asset Manager Files for NYSE, Travel Platform Klook Targets $400M, and Cannabis Telehealth Breaks Through

November 17, 2025
Stockadora Team

This past week (November 9-15, 2025) brought 13 IPO filings dominated by one landmark event: Grayscale Investments, the largest digital asset manager in the world with $35 billion in assets under management, publicly filed for a U.S. IPO on the NYSE. As the operator of the GBTC Bitcoin ETF and numerous other crypto investment vehicles, Grayscale's public debut represents a pivotal moment for institutional crypto adoption and investor access to digital asset management at scale.

This week's highlights include Grayscale's historic crypto IPO, SoftBank-backed travel platform Klook filing for a $400 million raise to capitalize on Asia's travel boom, cannabis telehealth pioneer Veri MedTech pursuing an NYSE American uplisting, and a continued wave of crypto-focused SPACs and niche ETFs. Let's explore what everyday investors need to know.

🚀 Week's Biggest IPO Story

₿ Grayscale Investments: $35 Billion Crypto Giant Goes Public

Grayscale Investments Inc. publicly filed for a U.S. IPO on November 13, 2025, seeking to list on the NYSE under ticker symbol "GRAY." As the world's largest digital asset manager with approximately $35 billion in assets under management (as of September 2025), Grayscale's public debut marks the most significant crypto company IPO to date. The company operates GBTC—the first Bitcoin ETF to convert from a trust structure—along with 15+ crypto investment trusts providing exposure to Ethereum, Litecoin, and other digital assets.

📊 Financial Performance

  • • $318.7M revenue (9 months ended Sept 30, 2025)
  • • $203.3M net income (same period)
  • • Down from $397.9M revenue year-ago
  • • Revenue decline reflects fee compression

💼 Business Scale

  • • $35B in assets under management
  • • 15+ crypto investment trusts
  • • GBTC: First Bitcoin trust-to-ETF conversion
  • • Serves institutional & retail investors

🏦 IPO Structure & Underwriters

  • • NYSE listing under ticker "GRAY"
  • • Confidentially filed in July 2025
  • • Public S-1 filing on Nov 13, 2025
  • • Expected late 2025 or early 2026 pricing
  • • Morgan Stanley (lead underwriter)
  • • Bank of America Securities
  • • Jefferies Financial Group
  • • Cantor Fitzgerald

Why It Matters: Grayscale's IPO is landmark for multiple reasons. First, as the largest digital asset manager, it offers retail investors the first opportunity to own shares in a pure-play crypto asset management company without directly holding cryptocurrencies. Second, Grayscale pioneered the crypto trust model and successfully converted GBTC from a closed-end trust to an ETF—demonstrating regulatory sophistication and institutional credibility. Third, the company's $318.7M revenue proves that crypto asset management can generate substantial fee income even during market downturns. However, investors should note that revenue declined 20% year-over-year due to fee compression as Bitcoin ETF competition intensified following the 2024 spot Bitcoin ETF approvals. Grayscale's success depends on maintaining market share against lower-cost competitors like BlackRock's IBIT and Fidelity's FBTC. For retail investors, this IPO offers exposure to the growing crypto asset management industry—but understand that Grayscale's business model relies on sustained institutional adoption and competitive fee structures.

📈 Other Companies to Watch

✈️ Klook Technology: SoftBank-Backed Travel Platform Files for $400M IPO

Klook, a Hong Kong and Singapore-based travel experiences platform, filed for a $400 million U.S. IPO on November 10, 2025, seeking to list on the NYSE under ticker symbol "KLK." The company operates a digital marketplace featuring roughly 310,000 travel offerings—from walking tours to train tickets and car rentals—across approximately 4,200 destinations worldwide. With 54 million experiences booked in 2024 and backing from SoftBank and Goldman Sachs, Klook capitalizes on Asia-Pacific's post-pandemic travel recovery.

🌏 Business Scale

  • • 310,000+ travel offerings
  • • 4,200 destinations globally
  • • 11M annual transacting users
  • • 54M experiences booked in 2024

💰 Financial Performance

  • • $417.1M revenue in 2024 (+24% growth)
  • • 83% of revenue from APAC customers
  • • Not yet profitable ($99.3M loss in 2024)
  • • Raised $1B+ from SoftBank, Goldman Sachs

Investment Context: Klook's IPO capitalizes on Asia-Pacific's travel recovery, with 83% of revenue coming from APAC customers. The platform differentiates itself by focusing on travel experiences (walking tours, attractions, local activities) rather than competing directly with Booking.com or Expedia on hotel/flight inventory. However, the company remains unprofitable despite $417M in revenue—a red flag for conservative investors. The 24% revenue growth is solid, but profitability timelines remain unclear. Klook's success depends on sustaining post-pandemic travel momentum, expanding beyond Asia-Pacific, and achieving economies of scale to reach profitability. SoftBank's backing provides credibility but also raises concerns about valuation discipline (SoftBank's Vision Fund has a mixed track record). Only suitable for investors comfortable with unprofitable growth stories and exposure to Asian travel trends.

🌿 Veri MedTech Holdings: Cannabis Telehealth Breaks Through to NYSE

Veri MedTech Holdings, Inc. filed for a $10 million NYSE American uplisting on November 14, 2025, transitioning from OTC markets (ticker: VRHI) to a major exchange. The company operates a telehealth platform connecting medical marijuana patients with healthcare providers, offering virtual consultations and personalized diagnostics. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary Veriheal, Veri MedTech serves patients seeking legal access to alternative medicine treatments in jurisdictions where medical cannabis is permitted.

💊 Business Model

  • • Telehealth for medical marijuana patients
  • • Virtual consultations with providers
  • • Personalized diagnostics and wellness
  • • Operates through subsidiary Veriheal

📊 IPO Details

  • • $10M raise (NYSE American uplisting)
  • • Currently trades OTC under VRHI
  • • Filed S-1 on Nov 14, 2025
  • • Shares/price range not yet disclosed

What to Know: Veri MedTech's NYSE American uplisting signals legitimacy for cannabis-focused telehealth, an industry that's faced banking restrictions and regulatory uncertainty. The $10 million raise is modest, suggesting this is primarily about exchange credibility rather than major capital needs. Cannabis telehealth occupies a unique regulatory niche—operating legally at the state level while remaining federally restricted. Investors should understand the risks: federal rescheduling could disrupt business models, state-by-state regulations create compliance complexity, and competition from larger telehealth platforms (Teladoc, Amwell) entering cannabis markets poses threats. The micro-cap size ($10M raise) means limited liquidity and institutional support. Only suitable for investors with high risk tolerance and belief in long-term cannabis normalization.

🤖 Braiin Ltd: AI-Powered Agtech Meets Direct Listing

Australian agtech company Braiin Ltd filed for a Nasdaq direct listing on November 10, 2025, positioning itself as a precision agriculture platform using autonomous drones, IoT sensors, and AI/ML models. With $73 million in revenue for the 12 months ended June 30, 2025, Braiin serves farmers with real-time crop health monitoring, soil analysis, and weather-risk insights. The company employs 300+ people across six countries and had previously attempted a SPAC merger (Northern Revival Acquisition) that never closed. At an estimated $10.17 per share, Braiin would command a $699 million market value.

What to Know: Braiin's direct listing (rather than traditional IPO) means no new capital raised—existing shareholders simply gain liquidity. The failed 2023 SPAC merger signals prior valuation challenges or deal structure issues. Agtech remains a crowded space with competition from John Deere's autonomous systems, Trimble's precision agriculture tools, and numerous startups. Braiin's $73M revenue demonstrates traction, but profitability and margin details remain unclear from the filing. Direct listings suit companies with strong brand recognition and shareholder demand (Spotify, Slack), but Braiin lacks consumer awareness. Investors should scrutinize why the SPAC deal collapsed and whether agricultural customers will pay recurring fees for drone/AI services amid commodity price volatility.

The Crypto IPO Wave Continues

Beyond Grayscale's headline IPO, this week saw multiple crypto-focused SPAC and ETF filings, signaling that institutional crypto adoption is accelerating:

🏦 Subversive Bitcoin Acquisition Corp ($100M SPAC)

This blank-check company filed for a $100 million Nasdaq IPO (ticker: SBAQU) targeting crypto and blockchain companies for acquisition. Led by Subversive Capital founder Michael Auerbach, the SPAC has 24 months to identify a merger target and uniquely positions itself as a "bitcoin treasury SPAC"—holding Bitcoin on its balance sheet while seeking acquisition targets. Underwriters include Jefferies, Canaccord Genuity, and Galaxy Digital. This follows a broader trend of bitcoin treasury companies going public (ProCap Financial raised $750M via SPAC in June 2025).

🐱 Canary MOG ETF (Memecoin ETF)

Canary Capital Group filed for a spot MOG Coin ETF on November 12, 2025—marking the first U.S. ETF application for a pure memecoin. MOG is a cat-themed memecoin from TikTok culture, ranked 339th by market cap ($170M). The ETF would hold actual MOG tokens in custody (not futures), similar to approved Bitcoin and Ethereum spot ETFs. This follows Canary's recent XRP, HBAR, and Litecoin ETF filings, demonstrating aggressive expansion into niche crypto assets. While memecoins offer speculative upside, MOG's 53% token concentration among top 100 holders and minimal utility beyond "digital collectible" status make this extremely high-risk.

💡 What This Week Tells Us

This week's 13 filings reveal several powerful themes shaping the IPO market for everyday investors:

₿ Crypto Goes Institutional

Grayscale's $35B IPO, Subversive Bitcoin SPAC, and memecoin ETFs signal that crypto is transitioning from speculative fringe to institutional asset class. Major exchanges (NYSE, Nasdaq) now welcome crypto-native companies, and traditional Wall Street banks (Morgan Stanley, BofA) underwrite crypto IPOs. This legitimizes digital assets for conservative investors—but also introduces valuation discipline and fee compression (as Grayscale's revenue decline shows).

✈️ Asia Travel Recovery Powers Growth

Klook's $400M IPO demonstrates that Asia-Pacific travel is roaring back post-pandemic, with 83% of revenue from APAC customers and 24% revenue growth. For U.S. investors, this offers exposure to Asian middle-class expansion, rising disposable incomes, and experiential spending trends—all without China regulatory risks (Klook is Hong Kong/Singapore-based). Expect more Southeast Asian consumer companies tapping U.S. capital markets.

🌿 Cannabis Telehealth Gains Legitimacy

Veri MedTech's NYSE American uplisting proves cannabis-related businesses can access traditional exchanges despite federal restrictions. As more states legalize medical/recreational cannabis and federal rescheduling discussions continue, cannabis telehealth occupies a unique niche—legal state-by-state, digital-first (avoiding banking issues), and serving unmet patient needs. Watch for more cannabis-adjacent tech companies (delivery platforms, compliance software) pursuing exchange listings.

🤖 Direct Listings for Failed SPACs

Braiin's direct listing after a collapsed SPAC merger reflects broader SPAC market challenges. As the 2020-2021 SPAC boom fades, companies with legitimate businesses (Braiin's $73M revenue) pursue traditional IPOs or direct listings instead. Direct listings suit capital-efficient companies seeking liquidity without dilution—but lack the underwriter support and price discovery of traditional IPOs. Investors should scrutinize why SPAC deals fail before participating in subsequent listings.

🎯 Key Takeaways for Investors

  • 1. Grayscale's IPO is about access, not speculation: For retail investors, owning GRAY shares means exposure to crypto asset management fee income without directly holding volatile cryptocurrencies. This is fundamentally different from buying Bitcoin—you're betting on Grayscale's ability to attract and retain institutional clients in a competitive market. The 20% revenue decline shows that fee compression is real as BlackRock, Fidelity, and others undercut Grayscale's pricing. Only buy if you believe Grayscale can maintain market share through brand reputation and product innovation.
  • 2. Unprofitable growth stories require extra scrutiny: Klook's 24% revenue growth looks attractive, but the $99.3M loss in 2024 means the company burns cash to acquire customers. Before investing, demand clear answers: What's the path to profitability? What's the customer acquisition cost vs. lifetime value? Can the business scale margins, or does each additional booking come at similar losses? SoftBank backing doesn't guarantee success (see WeWork, Brandless failures). Wait for at least two quarters of public financials before considering unprofitable IPOs.
  • 3. Cannabis stocks carry federal risk no matter how legitimate: Veri MedTech's NYSE American listing provides credibility, but federal cannabis prohibition remains. Banking restrictions, tax burdens (280E tax code), and interstate commerce limitations constrain growth. If federal rescheduling occurs (DEA moves cannabis to Schedule III), business models could shift dramatically—potentially helping or hurting profitability depending on regulatory details. Cannabis telehealth is even more complex: state medical licensing requirements, prescription fraud risks, and competition from established telehealth platforms. Extreme caution required.
  • 4. Memecoin ETFs are not "safe" crypto exposure: Canary's MOG ETF filing may sound appealing—regulated access to memecoins without wallet management—but don't confuse regulatory compliance with investment safety. MOG has no intrinsic utility beyond "TikTok culture" and "digital collectible" status. The 53% token concentration among top holders creates manipulation risks. Memecoin values depend entirely on social media virality and speculative trading. Even in ETF form, memecoin exposure belongs only in portfolios where 100% loss is acceptable. Never exceed 1-2% portfolio allocation for memecoin exposure.
  • 5. Failed SPAC mergers are red flags, not buying opportunities: Braiin's collapsed SPAC deal with Northern Revival Acquisition suggests valuation disagreements, due diligence issues, or market conditions problems. Before investing in the direct listing, understand why the SPAC merger failed. Was it overvaluation? Undisclosed liabilities? Management disputes? Market timing? Companies pursuing direct listings after SPAC failures may offer value—but only if the original deal issues have been resolved. Wait for public financials and management commentary before participating.

Important Investment Disclaimer

This analysis is AI-generated and for educational purposes only. IPO investments carry significant risks, including total loss of capital. Cryptocurrency and digital asset investments are highly volatile and speculative. Cannabis-related investments face federal legal restrictions and regulatory uncertainty. Unprofitable growth companies may never achieve profitability. Memecoin investments are extremely high-risk and suitable only for speculative portfolios. Always conduct your own research and consult with qualified financial advisors before making investment decisions. Never invest more than you can afford to lose.

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