

India’s IPO rally loses steam in FY26—can retail bring back the heat?
India’s record-breaking initial public offering (IPO) run is beginning to show signs of fatigue. Even as companies raised an all-time high ₹1.78 trillion in 2025-26—surpassing the previous peak of ₹1.62 trillion—investor enthusiasm, particularly among retail participants, has started to wane.The shift comes against a volatile backdrop.
Tariff-led trade tensions early in the year were followed by escalating conflict in West Asia, triggering risk-off sentiment and sharp swings in equities. As market conditions turned uncertain, the primary market began reflecting the strain through weaker subscriptions, lower listing gains, and a visible moderation in retail participation.With a strong pipeline of IPOs ahead, the key question is whether retail investors—who powered the previous boom—will return with the same intensity.India’s IPO cycle has expanded rapidly in recent years, with fundraising rising from ₹20,350 crore in 2019-20 to ₹1.11 trillion in 2021-22, before peaking in 2024-25 and 2025-26, according to Prime Database.However, recent data points to a cooling demand, especially from retail investors.
A Mint analysis showed that the share of mainboard IPOs receiving strong retail subscription—defined as more than 10 times—fell to 39.4% in 2025-26 (43 out of 109 IPOs), down sharply from 58.2% in 2024-25 and 52.6% in 2023-24.The longer-term trend highlights the cyclical nature of retail participation. The share had dropped to 22.2% in 2022-23 from 35.3% in 2021-22, before rebounding over the next two years.
Earlier, it stood at 46.2% in 2019-20 and 58.6% in 2020-21.Even within the 43 IPOs that saw strong retail demand in 2025-26, participation was uneven. Ten issues were subscribed over 50 times, 14 between 25 and 50 times,
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