Archive · 15 Dec 2025
Indian IPOs: Exit Routes Over Fundraising
Over the past five years, many Indian companies have used IPOs (Initial Public Offers) to let existing shareholders sell their shares rather than to raise new money for the company.
This means that a lot of the money raised in IPOs has gone to these shareholders instead of helping the company grow.
Retail investors often treat IPOs as a short-term trading opportunity, applying for shares and selling them quickly after listing.
However, the data shows that many IPOs do not perform well after listing, with a significant number of stocks falling below their issue price.
This trend has led to concerns about the long-term health of the IPO market and the potential risks for retail investors.
Despite this, the enthusiasm for IPOs remains high, with a large pipeline of upcoming IPOs expected in 2026.
Since 2021, Indian IPOs have raised ₹5.41 lakh crore, with about 62.5% coming from offers for sale (OFS) rather than fresh capital.
Retail investors often treat IPOs as short-term trading opportunities, applying for shares and selling them quickly after listing.
In 2025, 50% of IPOs are already below their issue price, and the average listing-open gain has dropped to about 9%.
About 68% of IPOs in 2025 are trading below their listing-day close, indicating that holding stocks long-term may not be beneficial.
New-age IPOs have shown a mixed performance, with some companies creating significant value while others have underperformed.
- Who
- Indian companies, retail investors, and existing shareholders
- What
- The trend of using IPOs primarily as exit routes rather than for fundraising
- When
- From 2021 to 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- To allow existing shareholders to monetize their investments and capitalize on market demand
- Total IPO Mobilisation (2021-2025)
- ₹5.41 lakh crore
- Fresh Issue Amount
- ₹2.03 lakh crore
- OFS Amount
- ₹3.38 lakh crore
- Percentage of IPOs Below Issue Price (2025)
- 50%
- Average Listing-Open Gain (2025)
- 9%
- Percentage of IPOs Below Listing-Day Close (2025)
- 68%
- Percentage of IPOs Hitting All-Time Low Below Issue Price (2024-2025)
- 75%
- New-Age IPOs Market-Cap Increase
- ₹2.63 lakh crore