This article only represents the author's own views.
On paper, at least, Extransfer Ltd. is a bit of a victim of its own success. As it seeks to go public, the fintech company’s management must be hoping investors see through this irony created by accounting rules that make it appear to be a massive money-loser.
Last Friday, Extransfer, which provides cross-border trade payment services under the XTransfer brand, filed for a Hong Kong IPO. At first glance, the company appears to be a typical, fast-expanding tech business. Founded in 2017 by a team of veterans from Ant Group and Visa, the enterprise boasts a trajectory that is, on the surface, solid but unremarkable for its sector. What makes Extransfer stand out is its eye-popping gross profit margin that exceeds 90% – which reflects extremely low costs the company incurs to provide its services. Yet, despite that extraordinary feat, the company is deeply in the red.