Estonian-founded fintech surpasses $1 billion in assets and brings AI-powered investing tools to a growing European customer base.
Lightyear, the Estonian-founded investment platform reshaping how Europeans grow their wealth, has raised $23 million in Series B funding to support its continued expansion across the continent. The announcement comes as the company surpasses $1 billion in customer assets and launches a bold new phase focused on integrating artificial intelligence into retail investing.
The funding round was led by NordicNinja, an Estonian-backed venture capital firm, with participation from Superangel’s Marko Oolo and Bolt CEO Markus Villig. Existing investors, including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Metaplanet, Skaala, and several prominent angels such as Veriff’s Kaarel Kotkas and Wise’s Lars Trunin, also increased their stakes.
In tandem with the fundraise, Lightyear is expanding its services to Denmark, Sweden and Bulgaria – bringing its reach to 25 European markets in ten languages.
New AI tools for everyday users
“With just three years under our belt, we’ve already helped shift the investment culture in Estonia,” said Martin Sokk, Lightyear’s CEO and co-founder. “Before us, there was no real competition for banks, and now we’re seeing fees fall and access improve. This round allows us to take that momentum across Europe – and build an experience that meets every need of the modern investor.”
As part of that effort, Lightyear is unveiling a new suite of AI-powered tools that aim to bring the kind of market intelligence typically reserved for professionals to everyday users. The platform will now offer contextual insights into sudden market movements, balanced perspectives on potential investments, and digestible updates tailored to users’ portfolios – all presented in natural language and drawn from trusted financial sources.
According to Sokk, the move signals Lightyear’s next chapter: not just a low-cost trading app, but an intelligent companion for investors navigating increasingly complex markets. “Skype showed that Estonia could export groundbreaking technology. Wise proved financial innovation could come from Tallinn. Lightyear now has the opportunity to transform how Europeans invest – by putting powerful insights into the hands of everyone.”
Investors say it’s precisely this blend of ambition, execution and product clarity that made the company stand out. “AI is reshaping every industry, and investing is no exception,” said Rainer Sternfeld, Partner at NordicNinja. “Lightyear is solving real, widespread problems with elegance and vision.”
“A gateway to financial literacy”
Superangel’s Marko Oolo called the platform “a gateway to financial literacy for millions,” while Bolt’s Markus Villig praised the team’s ability to scale quickly in a highly regulated sector.
While Europe has long lagged behind the US in retail investing, Sokk believes that’s now changing – not because of investor apathy, but due to a lack of accessible, user-friendly platforms. “Hitting a billion in customer assets is just the beginning,” he said. “It shows people are ready. They just needed the right tools.”
With AI at its core and a growing European footprint, Lightyear is positioning itself not only as Estonia’s next big fintech export – but as a challenger with the potential to redefine investing for a new generation.
