NEW YORK, Dec. 17, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WeShop Holdings Limited (“WeShop” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: WSHP), the world’s first community-owned social commerce platform, today announced the addition of several major retail partners, enhancing its offerings and providing shoppers with even more ways to save and shop. The platform now features Dicks Sporting Goods, GNC, Gilt, and JTV Jewelry, alongside other leading brands. With these additions, WeShop continues to broaden its retail network, offering custo ...

Core Insights - WeShop Holdings Limited has launched its social-commerce platform in the U.S., allowing users to earn ownership through shopping, marking a significant entry into the market ahead of the 2025 holiday season [1][5] Company Overview - WeShop is a pioneering social-commerce platform that merges shopping, sharing, and investing, rewarding users with equity through its ShareBack™ program [6] - The platform features partnerships with major retailers, including Bloomingdales, Walmart, and Nike, and offers access to over 1 billion products [2][11] Market Position - The U.S. launch follows a successful pilot in the UK, where WeShop generated over $140 million in sales, indicating strong consumer response to its community-driven model [3] - With the global e-commerce market projected to exceed $8 trillion by 2027 and social commerce expected to surpass $2 trillion by 2026, WeShop is positioned at the forefront of a major shift in consumer retail [5] User Engagement - Users can earn "WePoints" through purchases and referrals, which can be converted into equity in WeShop, effectively turning shoppers into shareholders [2][4] - The app integrates social discovery and transparent incentives, aiming to enhance user experience and community growth [4][12]

Some of the world's largest asset managers are here at the case conference. They want to make their products more accessible to you, to retail, to investors like all of you. Leslie Picker joining us now with more on that side of the story.Following the money as always, Leslie. Hey, Scott. Yeah, call it the retail revolution or the democratization of alt.It's one of the biggest untapped markets for asset managers right now. You just heard Robert Frank give those statistics about how fast the industry is grow ...

Core Insights - The next retail revolution is anticipated to occur not through smartphones or physical stores, but via chat windows in web browsers [1] Group 1 - The evolution of retail is shifting towards conversational commerce, where interactions happen in chat interfaces [1] - This new approach may enhance customer engagement and streamline the shopping experience [1] - Companies are likely to invest in technologies that facilitate these chat-based interactions to capture consumer interest [1]

Alternative Investment Market Trends - Alternative investments are experiencing a retail revolution, shifting from traditional institutional investors like pension funds and endowments to high-net-worth individuals [1][2][3] - State Street estimates that high-net-worth individuals will drive over half of private market fundraising in the coming years [3] - The industry is investing in marketing and communications to enhance accessibility and educate retail investors about the value of alternatives in a portfolio [8][9] Performance and Risk - A Harvard paper suggests a potential performance disadvantage for funds sold to retail investors [4] - Gathering statistically significant performance data for alternative investments is challenging due to the private nature of performance figures and the illiquidity of some instruments like business development companies [7][8] - Higher fees in alternative markets compared to liquid markets raise questions about whether the returns justify the cost for retail investors [10] Regulatory Landscape - The Trump administration's executive order aimed to facilitate greater access to alternatives, including potential inclusion in 401(k) plans [5] - Expanding access to alternatives faces arguments regarding the suitability of these investments for "regular Joe's" due to performance concerns [6]

Market Trends & Fundraising - High-net-worth individuals are increasingly driving inflows into private markets, representing a major shift [1][2] - State Street anticipates this cohort will drive over half of private market fundraising in the coming years [3] - Semi-liquid funds, particularly in private credit or secondary markets, are spearheading this shift toward retail interest [8][10] Investment Opportunities & Strategies - Large global managers are bringing institutional-quality products to the retail market [4] - Aries is boosting its AUM targets based on retail momentum [4] - A sports and media fund is considering quarterly redemptions [7] Potential Risks & Considerations - A Harvard paper suggests a potential performance disadvantage among funds sold to retail investors [3] - Limited liquidity in semi-liquid funds may mask volatility [10] - Retail investors may not get their money back as quickly as they want [9]