Indian market braces for $45B IPO lock-in wave in 2026
Big changes are coming to the Indian stock market as $45 billion worth of pre-IPO shares across 96 companies will become eligible for sale between January and April 2026, according to Nuvama.
Earlier, Nuvama estimated that $24 billion worth of shares across 108 companies would become eligible for trading over a three-month period ending in March 2026, but the latest report projects $45 billion across 96 companies between January and April 2026.
This means a lot more shares could hit the market soon, possibly making things a bit bumpy for investors.
What's behind these lock-in expiries?
Lock-in periods keep early investors and promoters from selling their shares right after an IPO.
Most of these soon-to-be-unlocked shares actually belong to promoters, so not all of them will be sold at once—but if many investors decide to cash out together, we could see some market swings.
Key January unlocks to watch
Today (January 7), Meesho is unlocking ₹2,573 crore worth of shares—about 2% of its equity—which have already gained 11% since its IPO.
Meesho is also unlocking shares today but has seen its stock dip by 5%.
Coming up next: CORONA Remedies and Wakefit on January 12. Keep an eye out—these dates might bring some action!