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Global Blue
Provides tax-free shopping and currency processing services in 51 countries
About Global Blue
Global Blue was founded in 1980 by two innovative entrepreneurs, Kai Liekefett and Ruedi Flueckiger, who envisioned a seamless way for international travelers to reclaim VAT on their purchases. This idea was born out of the need to simplify the shopping experience for tourists, allowing them to enjoy tax-free shopping with ease.
Over the years, Global Blue expanded its operations, becoming a leader in the tax-free shopping industry. The company developed a robust network, partnering with retailers and governments to streamline the VAT refund process. This not only enhanced the shopping experience for travelers but also boosted sales for retailers by attracting more international customers.
A significant milestone in Global Blue's journey was its acquisition by Silver Lake Partners and Partners Group in 2012. This acquisition provided the company with the resources and expertise needed to accelerate its growth and expand its services globally.
In 2020, Global Blue reached another pivotal moment by going public through a merger with Far Point Acquisition Corporation, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). This move was aimed at further strengthening its market position and enabling it to invest in new technologies and services to enhance its offerings.
Today, Global Blue continues to lead the tax-free shopping industry, leveraging its extensive experience and innovative solutions to provide unparalleled services to travelers and retailers worldwide. The company's journey from a simple idea to a global leader is a testament to its founders' vision and the strategic decisions made along the way.
Source: Dealroom company dataAt a glance
- Status
- Listed
- Founded
- 1980
- Headquarters
- Eysins, Switzerland
- Listing
- Public via SPAC 2020
- Employees
- 1,702
- Open positions
- 34
- Dealroom signal
- 41.8/100
- Industry
- Fintech
- Sector
- Fintech, SPAC Target, SPAC IPO Closed
- Client focus
- b2c
- Investment activity
- 6 companies, latest Oct 2022
- Capital deployed
- $21M
- Preferred round
- ACQUISITION
Knowledge graph
More headlines
Funding history
Company financing events and reported valuations.
| Deal type | Date | Amount | Valuation | Investors | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ACQUISITION✓Exit | Feb 2025 | $2.5B | $2.5B | Shift4 | Lighthouse Network | ↗ |
| POST IPO EQUITY✓Other financing | Jan 2024 | $100M | — | Tencent Mobility Limited | ↗ |
Financials
Revenue, earnings and other financial measures where available. Years marked “E” are estimates.
Growth signals
Latest recorded traffic for Global Blue is 850K monthly website visits, up 254.2% over the last three months. Global Blue's team grew 37.6% over the past year.
Open positions
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Investments and acquisitions
Recent portfolio relationships for companies that also act as investors or acquirers.
ShipupParis, FranceFacilitates tracking of parcels delivered by e-merchants
$5.3Mvaluation
ReFlauntLisbon, PortugalGives fashion brands the technology to build and reclaim the secondary market
$44Mvaluation
TOSHILondon, United KingdomOne of the founding members of Net-A-Porter, with the intention of providing the last mile solution for luxury retail brands
→
ZigZag GlobalLondon, United KingdomA SaaS platform to help retailers manage returns globally and resell returned stock in local markets
$76Mvaluation
Currency SelectSydney, AustraliaProvider of dcc and mcp focussed solutions and services
→
TravelersBoxIsraelAllows international passengers to deposit their leftover currency
$40Mvaluation
Investors
From Dealroom's funding and investor records, grouped by the round each investor first entered.
Series B and later4 investors entered at this stage
- FCFar Point Acquisition Corporation
- CFCK Opportunities Fund
Tencent- TLTencent Mobility Limited
Other known investors3 additional known investors
Shift4 | Lighthouse Network
ACE and Company
Equistone
Source: Dealroom Talent Intelligence.
Global footprint
Market sentiment
An AI-synthesised read of the highest-engagement posts about Global Blue on X, ranked by likes and reposts, corporate channels excluded.
Reading the room on X — pulling top posts and synthesizing themes…
Source: X recent search ranked by engagement (likes + retweets) · Synthesis by Claude · Cached for 1 hour
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