Bursa Malaysia made headlines in 2025 for a surge in initial public offerings (an IPO boom), recording the highest number of new listings in two decades. Yet, if you subscribed to many of these IPOs, chances are you are now sitting on losses. Why this apparent disconnect?
To briefly recap, there were 55 new listings on the local bourse last year (excluding the five listings on the LEAP Market) — surpassing the 51 in 2024 — of which 11 were destined for the Main Market and 44 made their debut on the ACE Market. It was a boon for pre-IPO shareholders, promoters and the investment bankers for sure, though far less so for investors.
