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Slice: The Global Equity Platform Built with Security, Powered by Trust
The Slice Data Fort — a multi-layered approach to protecting equity data that we believe turns Slice into the most protected equity platform.
Unveiling the Slice Data Fort
Today, we proudly reveal the Slice Data Fort — a multi-layered approach to protecting equity data that we believe turns Slice into the most protected equity platform. At Slice, we’ve harnessed the most advanced technology to ensure your sensitive equity data remains protected at every level. Managing equity is about more than just numbers—trust, security, and confidence. That’s why we’ve built Slice to set a new standard in equity management, combining cutting-edge innovation with uncompromising data protection.
We’re not a security company—we’re your partner in simplifying and securing the complexities of global equity management. With Slice, you can confidently manage employee equity plans, ensure compliance with international regulations, and prepare for audits, all while knowing your data is protected by the most advanced technology and infrastructure.
Slice Uses Slice. For Everything Equity
At Slice, we don’t just build solutions for our customers—we use them too. Slice manages its entire equity data in the same production environment as our customers, demonstrating our complete trust in the security and reliability of our platform. This commitment ensures that managing equity data is never a source of stress or uncertainty for anyone. Our mission is to make every customer feel secure and confident that their sensitive data—employees, investors, financials, and compliance—is fully protected.
As the CEO of Slice, I trust our platform with everything related to equity—whether it’s managing employee stock options, ensuring compliance across multiple jurisdictions, or preparing for audits. We use Slice for our own equity data because we believe in the security, transparency, and reliability of the system we’ve built. With Slice, we’re confident that our most sensitive data is always protected by the highest standards of security, every step of the way.
What are the Principles we Follow at Slice to Protect Your Data?
- Only you and those you authorize can access or change your data
Only you, as the customer, and the people you permit to can access or modify your equity data. This ensures that no one else can see or change your sensitive information without explicit consent. - You have complete and granular control over who can access your data
You can decide who in your organization can view or modify your equity data, giving you complete control over who has access at every level. - We keep a record of every time your data is accessed
Every time someone accesses your equity data, we log it. You can see who accessed your data and when, so you always have visibility and control. - We track every change made to your data
Any changes to your equity data are carefully logged to see exactly what was changed, when, and by whom. This ensures full accountability. - We only collect the necessary data
We collect only the information needed for equity management, compliance, and tax purposes. This minimizes the amount of personal data stored and ensures its responsible use.
What Makes Slice a Trusted Platform for Equity Management?
Slice combines innovative equity management tools with best-in-class security features, ensuring a seamless experience. We are SOC2 Type 2 and ISO27001 certified. But this is just the baseline. Here are some of the key security capabilities you should be aware of:
- Row-Level Security (RLS): Controls access at the most granular level, ensuring that sensitive data is only visible to those with the right permissions.
- Granular Permission Management: Empowers organizations to customize user access to equity data based on roles and responsibilities.
- Comprehensive Audit Logging: Provides complete traceability of user activity, giving you full transparency and accountability across the platform.
- Single Sign-On (SSO): Offers secure, centralized login control to protect access.
- Data Change Logs: Tracks every modification made to data within the platform, providing a precise history of actions.
With these advanced features, Slice doesn’t just help you manage equity—it gives you confidence in every decision you make. You can read more on our security page.
What’s Next?
As security continues to evolve, it remains an ongoing priority for us at Slice. Staying ahead of emerging threats and adapting to the latest technological advancements is crucial to maintaining the integrity of your data. We are committed to continuously enhancing our security measures to protect privacy and meet compliance requirements. As the digital landscape changes, so will our approach to safeguarding your sensitive equity data, incorporating cutting-edge technologies, and refining our protocols to offer the highest level of protection. At Slice, we understand that security is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing effort that demands constant vigilance, innovation, and improvement.
Why Choose Slice?
Slice is more than just a tool—it’s a trusted partner for companies looking to simplify and streamline their global equity management. We’ve built a platform that empowers you to confidently manage your equity processes while staying secure, compliant, and efficient.
In today’s digital landscape, where data security is paramount, Slice combines world-class equity management solutions with best-in-class security practices.
Slice: The Global Equity Platform Built with Security, Powered by Trust
In today's competitive tech landscape, attracting and retaining top talent across borders is crucial for startup success. For companies with a growing presence in Sweden, navigating the complexities of equity compensation can be a significant hurdle. This is where Qualified Employee Stock Options (QESOs) become critical. Although implementing QESOs involves navigating numerous requirements, the substantial tax advantages make them a highly rewarding solution for both companies and employees.
What are QESOs?
Qualified Employee Stock Options (QESOs) are a type of stock option specifically designed for companies with a Swedish presence to incentivize employees with equity in the company. The beauty of QESOs lies in their favorable tax treatment for both the company and the employee:
- Employee Benefits: Employees enjoy tax-free grants and are only taxed on capital gains at upon sale, typically at a rate of 25%.
- Company Benefits: Companies benefit from reduced social security contributions compared to traditional non-qualified stock options.
Difference Between QESOs and Non-Qualified Stock Options in Sweden
When considering stock options, it's essential to understand the differences between QESOs and non-qualified stock options in Sweden:
- Tax Event: For non-qualified stock options, there is a tax event upon exercise. Employees are taxed at progresive tax rate ranging between 30%-55% on the difference between the market price and the exercise price at the time of exercise.
- Withholding Obligation: Employers have a withholding obligation for non-qualified stock options. Employers must withhold the appropriate tax amount through salary in the month following the exercise.
- Social Security Contributions: Non-qualified stock options include a social security contribution obligation at a rate of 31.42%.
Key Requirements for QESOs
To benefit from the generous tax rules associated with QESOs, several strict requirements must be met. Here are the ten essential criteria for companies, stock options, and option holders:
Qualifying Conditions for Companies
- Fewer than 150 employees.
- No more than SEK 280 million in net Sales or balance sheet total.
- The company’s operations must not be older than 10 years.
- The company must not primarily engage in asset management, banking, financing, insurance, coal or steel production, real estate trading, long-term rental, or services related to legal advice, accounting, or auditing (“excluded activities”) for 3 consecutive years before the grant.
- Company must not be traded on a public stock market.
- Company cannot be direcly or indirectly controlled by a governmental body.
- The company must not be in financial difficulties.
- Company cannot be purely a holding company, and must undertake trade operations
Qualifying Conditions for Employees
- Be an employee or board member of the granting company or any subsidiary.
- Work a minimum of 75% of their working hours for the granting company or any subsidiary.
- Must earn a minimum salary of 13 “income base amounts” during the vesting period of 3 years after the grant date. The income base amount in 2024 is SEK 76,200.
- Employee, together with closely related affiliates, cannot own more than 5% of the voting rights or share capital of the granting company.
Beyond QESOs: Comparative Analysis
If you're familiar with the UK's Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) scheme, you'll find striking similarities between QESOs and EMIs. Both programs have similar conditions and are designed to optimize tax benefits and encourage employee ownership, making them highly attractive for startups and growing companies looking to incentivize their workforce.
However, there are key distinctions that set QESOs apart, providing unique advantages:
- No Limit on Exercise Price: One of the most notable advantages of QESOs over EMIs is the absence of a cap on the exercise price. This means that employees can potentially benefit more from their options, as there are no restrictions on the price at which options can be exercised. This flexibility allows for greater potential for value creation, particularly in rapidly growing companies where share prices can increase significantly over time.
- Enhanced Flexibility and Applicability: The absence of exercise price restrictions allows for more customized compensation packages, appealing to a broader range of businesses and making QESOs a more versatile option across various sectors and stages of development.
Slice's Approach to QESO Management
At Slice, we offer a comprehensive solution for managing QESOs for Swedish employees, ensuring a streamlined and efficient process from creation through sale. Here's how we can assist:
- Value Alerts: We provide real-time alerts on the value of options upon grant, both for the company and the option holder. This ensures the company does not exceed the option value limitations.
- Exercise Period Management: Our platform tracks and manages exercise periods, ensuring timely notifications and helping option holders maximize their benefits within the allowed timeframe.
- Scope of Work Conditions: We monitor and enforce the scope of work conditions, ensuring compliance with employment and work hour requirements for QESO This helps maintain eligibility for tax benefits and other advantages.
- Relationship Management: Whether the option holder is an employee, board member, or has another type of relationship with the company, we ensure all relevant criteria and conditions are met and tracked accurately.
With Slice, managing QESOs becomes a seamless experience, allowing both companies and option holders to focus on growth and success.
Conclusion – Investing the Time to Grant QESOs in Sweden is Worth It!
Although granting QESOs in Sweden requires understanding the tax rules, company requirements, and employee conditions, the tax advantages it offers are significant. Investing time in implementing and managing QESOs is a worthwhile endeavor, enhancing employee compensation and driving growth.
Maor is a Co-founder & the CEO of Slice. He has 13+ years of Legal experience in the Tech world. Prior to Slice, he was a senior partner in HF, a tier-1 Tech law firm, where he represented startups, VCs, and senior executives in a wide range of issues and deals (fundraising, M&As and IPOs). He was ranked 4 years in a row as a Top Tech Attorney by Legal 500. Maor holds an LLM and a BA (both cum laude) from Reichman University.
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Building The World's Most Advanced Compliance Engine for Equity (Pt. III)
In this third part, we’ll explore the technology and architecture that make it possible—from our global-first data model to the strategic use of AI and cybersecurity-inspired methods.
Safeguard Your Equity Worldwide
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