FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  SMITH W KEITH
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/15/2022		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Direct Digital Holdings, Inc. [DRCT]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1233 WEST LOOP SOUTH, SUITE 1170		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

HOUSTON,, TX 77027		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Class A Common LLC Units of Direct Digital Holdings LLC   (1)   (1) Class A Common Stock 5,689,000 $ (1) I By Direct Digital Management, LLC

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
SMITH W KEITH
1233 WEST LOOP SOUTH, SUITE 1170
HOUSTON,, TX 77027		   X   X   President  

Signatures

/s/ Susan Echard, Attorney-in-fact for Keith W. Smith 02/17/2022
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Pursuant to the Second Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Direct Digital Holdings LLC, dated as of February 15, 2022, Class A Common Units (as defined therein) held by the Reporting Person (indirectly through the Reporting Person's ownership interest in Direct Digital Management LLC) are exchangeable for shares of Class A Common Stock on a one-for-one basis, subject to certain exceptions, conditions and adjustments. The Class A Common Units have no expiration date. At the time of any such exchange, an equal number of shares of Class B Common Stock of the Issuer held by the Reporting Person, which have no economic value and entitle holders thereof to one vote per share on all matters on which stockholders of the Issuer are entitled to vote generally, are cancelled.
 
Remarks:
Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney

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