Vinted Ventures invests in Tilt’s $26M live-commerce round amid Whatnot rivalry

Vinted Ventures has made its first foray into live-commerce by backing Tilt’s latest $26 million funding round, a move widely interpreted as a strategic hedge against the growing influence of Whatnot in Europe’s secondhand fashion market. The London-based startup, built by former Revolut employees, operates a live-auction app that lets users buy and sell items in real time. Existing investor TQ also participated in the round.

The investment signals that Vinted, the dominant player in European peer-to-peer resale, is taking the threat from live shopping platforms seriously. Whatnot, already a powerhouse in the US, has been aggressively expanding into Europe, directly competing for the same community of sellers and collectors that Vinted relies on. By backing Tilt, Vinted Ventures gains exposure to a format that blends entertainment with urgency, a model that has proven highly effective for driving transaction volume.

Tilt’s platform focuses on creating a gamified auction experience, where hosts present items live and viewers bid in real time. This approach has resonated particularly well with categories like streetwear, sneakers, and collectibles. The new capital will help Tilt scale its operations, improve its technology, and potentially expand into new verticals.

For Vinted, the investment is less about immediate returns and more about defending its market position. Live-commerce is still nascent in Europe, but its growth trajectory is undeniable. If Vinted can influence or integrate with a rising live-auction platform, it may be able to steer the competition rather than be disrupted by it. Whether this partnership evolves into something deeper remains to be seen, but for now, Vinted Ventures has placed a calculated bet on the future of social selling.