Learn all about IPO trading, major upcoming IPOs, how to get exposure to them through CFDs, and key information about the listing process.
An initial public offering, or IPO, is when a private company lists its shares on a stock exchange for the first time, allowing public investors and traders to take a position on them. IPOs provide companies with capital to expand, repay debt, or invest in new projects.
This funding can kickstart business growth, scale operations, or fuel strategic moves – factors that may influence the stock’s performance post-listing.
To fully understand the process, check out our in-depth guide on IPOs.
The IPO process involves several steps, including selecting investment banks, preparing regulatory filings, setting an offer price, and listing on an exchange. All that can take several months or longer – but once shares are publicly available and we’ve added the stock as a CFD to our platform, you can trade them based on market demand.
IPOs enable you to capitalise on early price action within minutes of a stock’s listing. IPO stocks often see sharp moves as the market reacts to demand, making them potentially attractive for short-term strategies*.
When you trade IPOs with CFDs, you don’t need to own the stock outright – you can just take a position on the underlying price moves. CFDs also provide leverage, enabling a larger position with a relatively small outlay. This magnifies potential profits, but also losses – making leveraged trading risky.
*Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results.
Access foundational content and practical insights related to IPO trading.
Find out everything you need to know about upcoming IPOs, including official filing dates, company overviews, prospectus details, and expected listing timelines.
Explore companies that have recently gone public, the key factors that influenced their post-IPO performance, and how you can trade their shares via CFDs.
Access thousands of markets with seamless navigation across charts, watchlists and technical tools – along with 0.023-second execution.*
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To invest in an IPO, you typically need a brokerage account with a trading provider offering access to new listings. Some brokers allow you to request shares before trading begins, though availability can be limited. Alternatively, many traders choose to enter after the stock lists publicly, once there’s more price data and liquidity in the market.
While Capital.com doesn’t currently offer direct access to pre-IPO allocations, you can trade IPO shares with Capital.com shortly after they list on an exchange. Once a newly public company meets our listing criteria, it may become available to trade via CFDs, giving you the opportunity to speculate on price movements without owning the underlying shares.
Accessing IPOs before they go public is generally reserved for institutional investors or select clients of investment banks managing the listing. For most retail traders, the first opportunity to get involved is once the IPO starts trading on the open market, at which point brokers like Capital.com may offer it for CFD trading.
Trading IPOs involves several risks, including high volatility, unpredictable demand, and limited historical performance data. Prices can swing sharply in the first days or weeks, and early valuations may be driven more by sentiment than by fundamentals. As always, it’s important to assess your risk tolerance and use appropriate risk management tools.
You can check out our regularly updated upcoming IPOs overview, which features some of the most anticipated upcoming listings, along with company overviews and key dates to watch. It’s a useful starting point for traders looking to follow new opportunities in the market.
The best platform for trading IPOs depends on your needs, but speed, transparency, and accessibility are key. Capital.com allows you to trade newly listed stocks as CFDs shortly after they go public, with a user-friendly platform, comprehensive risk management tools, and 24/7 support to help you stay on top of fast-moving markets.
Measured by capital raised, Saudi Aramco’s IPO in 2019 is the biggest ever, bringing in over $29 billion. In terms of long-term stock performance, companies like Apple and Amazon stand out – both had modest IPOs but went on to become some of the most valuable companies in the world, rewarding early investors handsomely.
1 Information presented relates to Capital Com Group.
