Stocks Going Public: IPO Basics and 2025 Market Trends
1. Introduction
An Initial Public Offering (IPO) is the process by which a privately held corporation offers shares to the general public for the first time. Often referred to as stocks going public, this transition allows a company to raise capital from public investors to fund expansion, pay down debt, or provide liquidity to early shareholders and employees.
For investors, an IPO represents the first opportunity to buy into a company’s growth on a regulated stock exchange like the NASDAQ or the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). In the evolving financial landscape, this process has become a major milestone for crypto-native firms seeking to bridge the gap between decentralized finance and traditional capital markets.
2. The Process of Going Public
The journey to becoming a publicly traded entity is rigorous and highly regulated. It typically involves several key phases:
- Pre-filing Phase: The company undergoes financial audits and hires investment banks, known as underwriters, to manage the offering.
- SEC Filings and The Prospectus: Companies must file an S-1 registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This includes a prospectus detailing the business model, financial history, and potential risks.
- Roadshows and Pricing: Executives travel to meet institutional investors to build interest. Based on demand, the underwriters set a final offering price before the shares debut on the exchange.
3. Notable Trends in 2025: Crypto and AI Integration
As of early 2026, reports from The Block and Fortune indicate a significant recovery in the IPO market following a stagnant period in 2022-2023. A key driver of this resurgence is the entry of high-growth technology and fintech firms.
Cryptocurrency and Fintech: Several prominent crypto-native firms are reportedly preparing for stocks going public. Circle Internet Group (the issuer of USDC) and custody firm BitGo are among the names closely watched by investors. Furthermore, companies like the Smarter Web Company (SWC) have recently transitioned to main exchanges to pursue aggressive Bitcoin treasury strategies, though such moves come with high volatility risks.
AI Infrastructure: The "AI boom" is fueling a massive capital expenditure cycle. Firms such as CoreWeave have already utilized high-yield bond markets and are positioned as major candidates for public listings in the 2025-2026 window. According to Bloomberg, AI-related data center construction may require over $3 trillion in financing, much of which will eventually be supported by public equity and debt markets.
4. Mechanisms of Entering the Public Market
While the traditional IPO remains the standard, other methods for stocks going public have gained traction:
- Traditional IPO: The most common path, involving underwriters who guarantee the sale of a specific number of shares.
- Direct Listing: Companies sell existing shares directly to the public without a traditional underwriting process. This was famously used by major crypto exchanges to enter the market.
- SPAC Mergers: Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs) act as "blank check" entities that acquire private companies to take them public quickly, though these have faced increased regulatory scrutiny recently.
5. Investing in IPO Stocks
Investing in stocks going public offers high growth potential but carries distinct risks. Retail investors often gain access only after the shares begin trading on the secondary market, where price volatility can be extreme.
Lock-up Periods: Most IPOs include a lock-up period (typically 90 to 180 days) during which company insiders are prohibited from selling their shares. The expiration of this period often leads to increased sell pressure and price fluctuations.
For those interested in the crypto sector, platforms like Bitget provide tools to track market sentiment and trade crypto-native assets that may eventually correlate with these public listings. Bitget’s ecosystem offers a secure environment for users to explore the digital assets often held by these newly public treasury firms.
6. Regulatory Framework
In the United States, the Securities Act of 1933 governs the issuance of new securities. This ensures that investors receive financial and other significant information concerning securities being offered for public sale. Additionally, exchanges like the NYSE and NASDAQ enforce strict listing standards, including minimum market capitalization and shareholder count requirements, to maintain market integrity.
7. Glossary of Terms
- Underwriter: A financial institution (usually an investment bank) that manages the IPO and assumes the risk of buying shares if they are not sold to the public.
- Quiet Period: A legally mandated period where company management cannot promote the IPO to avoid inflating the stock price artificially.
- Secondary Market: The market where investors buy and sell shares from each other (e.g., the stock exchange) after the initial offering.
- Free Float: The portion of a company's shares that are in the hands of public investors and available for trading.
Stay informed on the latest market shifts and institutional adoption by visiting Bitget Wiki. Whether you are tracking stocks going public or exploring decentralized finance, Bitget offers the resources to navigate the future of finance.



















