As eager for success in Hollywood as he is in finance, Canadian star Ryan Reynolds doesn’t let his money stagnate; many refer to the protagonist of “Deadpool” as a “serial entrepreneur” and it is not an exaggeration.
Less than a month after selling his wireless service provider, Mint Mobile, to telecommunications giant T-Mobile for $1.35 billion, Reynolds announced that he had invested in an industry that, he confessed, he knows absolutely nothing about: financial technology or “fintech”, in English.
During a recent appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” talk show, Reynolds revealed that he has expanded his investment portfolio with Canadian fintech company Nuvei Corp, calling it “impressive” and “a solid brand foundation.
“I don’t know anything about fintech. Thank God I don’t run the company.”the actor joked. “I am very fortunate to have an amazing team that is looking for new and exciting opportunities in places with a strong brand foundation and lots of room to grow,” he explained.
Reynolds said he met Nuvei CEO Philip Fayer about two years ago and the two hit it off quickly. “I know as much about fintech as I did about gin or mobile a few years ago. But Nuvei is awesome,” he added.
Reynolds’ other high-profile investments include the gin brand Aviation American Gin and the Wrexham Football Club soccer team, the “Red Dragons” of Wales. With the sale of Mint Mobile he raised about US$ 300 million.
The 46-year-old also a screenwriter and producer praised the company’s leadership team and stressed the need for Canadian companies to receive the same attention as their American counterparts.
“America gets too much credit for innovation and I think it’s quite a funny and interesting thing, and a fun story to tell, when Canada also shows off its skills a bit. We are talking about a global multi-billion dollar company…”, she said.
True to his marketing approach, Reynolds starred in a short promotional video for Nuvei, which he shared on Twitter, showing his support for the company. In the commercial, he jokes that he invested in the company with Canadian dollars because “yeah, that’s a real currency too.”
What does Nuvei do?
Nuvei is a global payments technology company that is dedicated to “accelerating revenue growth for its customers through payments,” says the company’s press release announcing Reynolds’ involvement.
With card acquiring services in more than 200 markets, including direct local acquiring in more than 47 countries, as well as access to more than 600 alternative payment methods, Nuvei connects e-commerce businesses with their customers anywhere in the world. world and with the payment method they choose.
Founded 20 years ago, Nuvei partners with prominent platforms like Binance Holdings and DraftKings to offer payment services. The company went public in both Canada and the US and experienced fluctuations in its share price.
Earlier this year, it acquired Paya, a smaller rival company, for $1.3 billion, with the aim of strengthening its presence in the US market.
Reynolds’ marketing company, Maximum Effort, frequently plays a key role in facilitating brand deals, emphasizing the importance of storytelling. Reynolds sees the role of Maximum Effort as more than just a financial investment: it’s an emotional investment.
“We are delighted to welcome Ryan to the Nuvei family. We are a global company, but we are extremely proud of our Canadian roots and values, so to have one of the most internationally recognized Canadians, as well as an entrepreneur with such renowned business acumen, join our investors is a privilege.” said Fayer, its CEO.