Thursday, January 15th, 2026
January 2026
After several years of subdued issuance driven by market volatility and higher interest rates, global IPO activity rebounded meaningfully in 2025. Improving equity market performance, stabilising valuations, and renewed investor appetite reopened listing windows across major financial centres. As 2026 begins, market data points to a growing IPO pipeline, alongside heightened regulatory scrutiny and greater execution discipline.
According to multiple market trackers, the global IPO market made a notable recovery in 2025. Global issuance reached one of the strongest levels since 2021, supported by double-digit equity market growth that encouraged companies to revisit public listing plans. Rising stock indices helped restore investor confidence and created more favourable conditions for capital raising.
Global IPO proceeds rose substantially compared with 2024, reflecting both increased deal activity and larger average deal sizes, particularly in major markets such as the United States and Asia. Regional variation remained pronounced:
Data from Renaissance Capital further underscores the recovery, with approximately 202 IPOs completed in 2025, supported by a steady issuance cadence across the year and a broad range of sectors.
United States: The U.S. IPO market recorded a marked increase in filings and completed offerings compared with 2024. Technology, healthcare, and energy companies featured prominently, while a resurgence in SPAC activity also contributed to overall issuance levels.
Asia and Hong Kong: Hong Kong experienced one of its strongest years since 2021, particularly for technology-led listings. A notable example included a Chinese AI developer raising more than HK$4.8 billion, attracting substantial institutional participation and reinforcing Asia’s role in global IPO activity.
India: India emerged as one of the most active IPO markets globally by deal count. Venture-backed companies increasingly opted for public listings, with several profitable unicorns completing IPOs and shortening the path from private capital to public markets.
Europe: European exchanges saw a gradual recovery, supported by improving valuations and selective investor interest. Planned listings across industrial and defence-related sectors pointed to a cautious but expanding pipeline.
United Kingdom: The UK IPO market showed mixed results. While issuance increased relative to the prior year, post-listing share price performance remained uneven. Market participants nevertheless expect conditions to improve into 2026 as broader equity markets strengthen.
Renaissance Capital data further underscores the rebound, with approximately 202 IPOs completed globally in 2025, supported by steady issuance throughout the year across a broad range of sectors.
Looking ahead, most IPO outlooks suggest a continued but selective recovery in 2026. Analysts forecast 200–230 IPOs globally, potentially raising $40–$60 billion, driven by interest in technology, energy transition, and mature private companies seeking liquidity. Several offerings postponed in late 2025 are expected to come to market in early 2026, supporting a stronger first quarter.
Expectations of gradual monetary policy easing, resilient equity markets, and extended private funding cycles have all been cited as structural supports for the IPO pipeline. At the same time, macroeconomic uncertainty and geopolitical risks remain key considerations shaping issuer and investor behaviour.
Market participants increasingly note that the current IPO cycle differs from earlier post-pandemic waves. Regulators and investors are placing far greater emphasis on financial disclosure quality, governance readiness, and consistent application of accounting standards.
Across jurisdictions, IPO execution now requires detailed coordination between finance, legal, compliance, and senior management teams. Understanding regulatory frameworks — from SEC-style filings and US GAAP reporting in the United States to prospectus requirements across Europe and Asia — has become a core execution risk rather than a procedural formality.
As a result, many organisations are investing earlier in internal IPO capability-building, complementing external advisory support with structured technical learning. These programmes typically focus on IPO readiness, regulatory filings, disclosure mechanics, and public-company reporting obligations, helping teams bridge gaps between theory and real-world execution.
Within this context, specialist providers such as Shasat operate by delivering transaction-oriented IPO and US GAAP programmes aligned with live market practices. Rather than promoting listings, such programmes are used by finance leaders, legal and compliance teams, and advisors to strengthen technical preparedness and improve regulatory engagement across multiple jurisdictions.
Reflecting the global nature of IPO activity, structured IPO and SEC filing programmes are delivered across key financial centres where listing activity remains concentrated, including New York, London, Singapore, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Toronto, and Zurich.
An overview of IPO- and US GAAP-focused programmes can be accessed here:
Market feedback suggests that organisations which invest early in internal IPO capability are better positioned to navigate regulatory review cycles, reduce execution risk, and sustain compliance standards after listing.
The 2025 IPO market demonstrated renewed resilience following several subdued years. With strong activity in the United States, India, and parts of Asia, and a growing pipeline shaping up for 2026, issuers have reason for cautious optimism.
However, success in public markets increasingly depends on technical readiness and regulatory discipline, as much as on market timing. For companies considering future listings—particularly cross-border transactions—staying current with evolving disclosure requirements, accounting standards, and IPO execution practices will remain a defining competitive advantage as global capital markets continue to evolve.
Also Read Via Medium: https://medium.com/@Shasat/global-ipo-markets-show-strong-2025-growth-and-2026-pipeline-as-companies-prepare-for-public-e26f3dbc0253
