London Stock Exchange raises more IPO capital than any other exchange in Europe in 2021

The London Stock Exchange (LSE) raised more initial public offering (IPO) capital than the Amsterdam and Paris exchanges combined in 2021, the latest figures have revealed.

The report highlights the growing popularity of the UK’s capital markets as a global destination for high-growth companies.

According to the report, some 122 firms went public on the LSE in the last 12 months, raising a phenomenal £16.8 billion – the most raised in any year since 2007.

It means that the stock exchange raised more capital than any other exchange in Europe and the most outside of the USA and Greater China.

The analysis also shows that 39 per cent of all IPO - defined as the process of offering shares of a private corporation to the public in a new stock issuance - capital was raised by tech or consumer internet companies, despite representing just 29 per cent of IPOs in 2021.

This includes online money transfer business Wise, the largest technology company to list on the LSE ever (by market cap value).

Other notable IPOs include Oxford-based gene sequencing firm Nanopore, Danish consumer review site Trustpilot, Canadian chipmaker AlphawaveIP, and North American video game publisher Devolver Digital, as well as food delivery app Deliveroo and greetings card firm Moonpig.

The latest round of investment means that the UK is now home to 116 technology firms that are worth more than $1 billion in value – known as ‘unicorns’ – and 213 firms approaching that value – known as ‘futurecorns’.

Commenting on the figures, Murray Roos, of the LSE Group (LSEG), said: “I am pleased these businesses have seen strong growth, new customers and record figures.  The strength of this combination is demonstrated in the innovation we brought to the market this year.”

Julia Hoggett, CEO of LSE, added: “2021 has demonstrated the strength of the UK capital markets with our most active year since 2007. It has also highlighted the vital role LSEG’s capital markets play in supporting innovation, growth and the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

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