In this Closer Look, we examine a new industry that has arisen in recent years to facilitate the financing of stock-option exercises for employees and executives of pre-IPO companies. These capital providers allow individuals to exercise and retain their stock option awards, meaning the employee can continue to participate in any future appreciation of the shares while still receiving the money needed to exercise the award, pay taxes, and in some cases extract additional capital to finance personal expenditures. We consider the economic implications of this market from the perspectives of employees and employers, as well as the financial model of the capital providers that participate in this space.