Stelrix, a New York-based fintech company focused on real-time secured lending infrastructure, has announced the launch of the first real-time secured credit card backed by investments. This new offering allows everyday investors to access liquidity from their portfolios without liquidating assets or incurring traditional margin risk.
Historically, U.
S. credit card debt has reached $1.2 trillion, often trapping consumers in high-interest cycles. Traditional portfolio-backed lending has typically required minimums of $100,000 or more and extended approval processes. Stelrix aims to address these issues by providing a more accessible solution.
The platform continuously monitors users’ brokerage holdings, adjusting credit limits in real time based on portfolio value and risk. These updates occur every few milliseconds. Colin Sahagun, the 21-year-old CEO and Founder of Stelrix, stated, “People think the wealthy are different because they have more money. The truth is, they just have access to better systems or more exposure. At 17, I watched a family office and brokerage clients borrowing against their portfolios routinely, but 70% of those everyday investors are unaware that tools like these exist. We built Stelrix to give everyone that same access: safe, transparent and instant.”
Stelrix, founded in 2025 by Sahagun, has established a network of partners and supporters across regulatory, issuing, and payments infrastructure. These include HSBC, Lithic, Manatt, Sightspan, CompoSecure, and IC Payments.
Safi Keshvargar, Investor Coverage and Strategic Partnerships at HSBC, commented, “Stelrix is redefining the intersection of investing and everyday finance, merging the two to deliver a new level of financial empowerment for retail investors. Their innovative approach represents a new generation of fintechs helping people access smarter, more flexible financial tools, and marks an important evolution in how individuals engage with their wealth.”
Tony McGee, Director of Business Development at Lithic, added, “Stelrix exemplifies the kind of forward-thinking fintech we’re proud to back. They’re not retooling old systems–they’re building new infrastructure that connects capital markets and consumer payments in ways that simply weren’t possible before.”
The beta program for the Stelrix card is scheduled for Q1 2026, with a full commercial rollout anticipated in early Q2. Initially, users will connect U.
S. equities portfolios, with future plans to expand to additional asset classes such as crypto, real estate, and collectibles. Stelrix has completed a fully funded angel round and is currently preparing for its seed raise to scale the platform.
Andrea Corbine, President of SightSpan, noted, “True innovation balances opportunity with safeguards, and Stelrix has struck that balance brilliantly. By pairing cutting-edge investment-backed credit technology with a robust compliance and risk foundation, they’re making advanced financial tools accessible in a safe, transparent, and scalable way. Sightspan is honored to support their mission and help ensure the platform is built for long-term trust. Colin and the Stelrix team are reimagining what’s possible in consumer finance, and they’re doing it the right way.” Interested individuals can join the waitlist at stelrix.com/waitlist.
