Riskified's Q4 2024: Key Contradictions in Strategy, Competition, and Growth Expectations

These are the key contradictions discussed in Riskified's latest 2024Q4 earnings call, specifically including: Strategic Initiatives, Competitive Landscape, Product Offerings, Net Dollar Retention Rate Expectations, and Platform Sales Strategy:



Revenue and Growth in 2024:
- Riskified reported revenue of $327.5 million for 2024, exceeding the high end of their guidance, with a 10% year-over-year increase.
- Growth was driven by an increase in GMV by 15%, strong performance in new business activity, and an improvement in adjusted EBITDA margins in their first full year of positive adjusted EBITDA.

Customer Retention and Renewals:
- The company achieved an ADR (annual dollar retention rate) and NDR (net dollar retention rate) that were below historical benchmarks.
- This was due to factors such as churn events in certain verticals and increased competitive pressure, but efforts are underway to improve retention rates in 2025 through multiyear contract commitments.

Expansion into New Verticals:
- Riskified derived $45 million in revenue from new merchants added in 2024, with notable wins in verticals like money transfer and payments, and food.
- This expansion was driven by a strategic focus on penetrating newer verticals and landing key accounts outside of the Americas and EMEA.

Product Platform Growth:
- New product revenue increased by 90% year-over-year, with these products accounting for 10% of total bookings won in 2024.
- The growth in the multi-product platform is attributed to increased adoption and the value it provides through diverse use cases beyond the core chargeback guarantee.

Operational and Cost Management:
- Operating expenses declined by 4% in 2024, with a focus on efficiency and leveraging AI tools to automate tasks and reduce manual work.
- This was part of a broader strategy to optimize operational levers and drive toward profitability, aiming for adjusted EBITDA margins between 15% to 20% by the end of 2026.