Navigating your migration from Carta to Vestd

Carta. Big name, safe bet. Right?

Once an obvious choice for equity management, Carta is increasingly leaning on its US heritage and expecting UK customers to adapt to systems built for a very different market.

Whether it's managing Enterprise Management Incentives (EMI) options, handling Companies House filings, supporting UK-specific compliance documents, or simply getting specialist support when you need it, businesses are increasingly asking the same question:

What would it take to move?

The good news is that migrating from Carta to Vestd is typically far simpler than most companies expect.

At Vestd, we’ve helped thousands of business leaders transition their cap tables and share schemes with minimal disruption, allowing them to move to a platform built specifically around:

• UK company law
• HMRC and ERS reporting requirements
• UK secondary markets 

Why companies are reconsidering Carta

Carta is a popular platform, particularly for venture-backed US businesses.

However, many UK companies operate within a very different regulatory and legal framework.

EMI schemes, Company Share Option Plans (CSOPs), growth shares, HMRC reporting and Companies House requirements aren’t edge cases for UK businesses – they’re our bread and butter.

As companies grow, these disparities can become increasingly important, driving many to look for UK alternatives to Carta.

Reconsiderations often come from a lack of:

• Native support for UK share schemes.
• Simple HMRC compliance processes.
• Better visibility over Companies House filings.
• Access to UK-based equity specialists.
• A platform that reflects their legal structure, without a million workarounds. Watch the demo to see for yourself.

And increasingly, businesses will want support for employee liquidity and secondary transactions as UK private markets continue to evolve.

Migrating from

Carta to Vestd: What to expect

Switching equity platforms does not require a lengthy, disruptive project – the process for us is actually straightforward and highly structured.

1. Understand your current setup

Every migration starts with understanding your existing scheme and cap table. 

This is not just a simple data transfer exercise. Nor does it have to be an additional burden for your finance and/or HR team.

We work with you to understand:

• Your current equity structure
• Existing option holders
• Historical share movements
• Governance requirements
• Any pain points you’re experiencing today

Successful migrations start with understanding the people and processes behind the data, not just the data itself.

Get yourself ready with a free, no-obligation equity governance review today.

2. Review and plan the transition

Before anything is imported, we review your current records and identify any potential issues or inefficiencies.

Many companies view migration as an opportunity to tidy up historic records, improve reporting processes and ensure everything accurately reflects their legal structure(s).

Our dedicated customer success team guides you through every stage of the process, helping to remove uncertainty and minimise risk.

3. Migrate with confidence

Once the migration plan is agreed, we handle as much of the heavy lifting as you need.

This includes:

• Importing historical cap table data
• Digitising documentation 
• Mapping existing schemes
• Notifying stakeholders where appropriate 
• Verifying records before launch

For many companies, the most reassuring aspect of the process is knowing teams aren't expected to manage the migration alone.

Our team can take responsibility for much of the operational work, allowing internal teams to stay focused on running the business.

Moving your data from Carta securely 

Data security is often the biggest concern when planning the move from Carta to Vestd.

Every migration is carefully reviewed before it goes live. Vestd follows robust security and data protection practices, with ISO 27001 certification, encrypted data storage and strict access controls designed to keep sensitive equity information secure throughout the process.

Vestd can import a wide range of historical data, including:

• Shareholder records 
• Option grants
• Vesting schedules
• Exercise history 
• Historical share issuances and transfers 
• Cap table history
• Scheme documentation
• Employee and stakeholder information
• Custom equity data and supporting documents

Where information exists outside the platform, our team can also work with supporting spreadsheets and documentation to ensure nothing important is lost during the transition.

Will employees notice the change?

Yes, employees will notice once you move from the Carta platform to Vestd. Once live, they will have access to their own Vestd dashboard, which will change how they view their equity.

Employees will continue to see their holdings, vesting schedules and key information through their very own employee portal, while administrators gain access to tools designed around compliance and data management.

Most importantly, the underlying equity arrangements remain intact. Migration does not mean starting again or recreating your schemes from scratch.

Why human support still matters

Technology plays an essential role in equity management, but complex share schemes rarely fit neatly into a help article.

Questions around EMI compliance, valuation events, secondary transactions or Companies House requirements often require specialist expertise.

That's why many companies moving from larger global platforms place significant value on working with a team that understands UK markets first hand. Not AI chatbots that often miss the mark.

As we’ve learned through hundreds of migrations, technology alone does not solve equity management challenges. That expertise alongside the platform is often what makes the biggest difference.

Considering a move?

A migration doesn't have to be disruptive. With the right planning and support, it can be an opportunity to improve data quality, simplify compliance and move to a platform designed around the way UK companies actually operate.

Whether you're managing an EMI scheme today, preparing for future fundraising, or exploring secondary liquidity opportunities for employees and shareholders, having the right foundations in place can make all the difference.

The first step is simply understanding what you've got today on a call with one of our team.

Book a call today. No commitment required. Free cap table audit included.