7 Biggest IPOs of All Time: The Largest Stock Market Debuts
An Initial Public Offering, also called an IPO, is a major step for any company. It is the first time a private company offers its shares to the public. After an IPO, people can buy and sell the company’s shares on a stock exchange. This helps the company raise money for future plans. Many businesses use this money to expand, create new products, pay debt, or enter new markets.
Some IPOs become historic because they raise huge amounts of money. These record-breaking public offerings attract investors from around the world. They also show how much trust the market has in a company’s future.
As of 23 July 2026, these are the seven biggest IPOs of all time based on the amount of money raised during their public debut.
SpaceX
SpaceX made history in 2026 with the largest IPO ever. The American space company raised an incredible $75.0 billion when it listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The company reached an estimated valuation of around $1.75 trillion, which made it one of the world’s most valuable businesses.
Founded by Elon Musk, SpaceX became famous for reusable rockets, satellite launches, and deep space missions. Before the IPO, the company already worked with governments, private businesses, and space agencies across the world. Investors showed huge confidence because SpaceX had strong technology, steady growth, and ambitious future plans. This public debut broke every previous IPO record and became a landmark event in financial history.
SK hynix
The second-largest IPO came from SK hynix in 2026. The semiconductor company raised $26.5 billion through its Nasdaq listing. Its estimated valuation reached about $1.09 trillion.
SK hynix has a strong reputation in the global chip industry. The company produces memory chips that power smartphones, computers, artificial intelligence systems, and data centers. Demand for advanced chips remained high across many industries, which attracted strong investor interest. This IPO also became one of the biggest technology listings ever and showed the growing importance of the semiconductor sector.
Saudi Aramco
Before 2026, Saudi Aramco held the record for the world’s largest IPO. The company raised $25.6 billion in 2019 through the Tadawul stock exchange in Saudi Arabia. At the time of its debut, Saudi Aramco had an estimated valuation of around $1.7 trillion.
Saudi Aramco is one of the world’s largest oil producers. The company plays a major role in the global energy market and supplies crude oil to many countries. Investors viewed the business as highly profitable because of its enormous oil reserves and strong financial performance. Although later IPOs surpassed its record, Saudi Aramco still remains one of the most important public offerings in history.
Alibaba Group
Alibaba Group entered the public market in 2014 and raised $21.8 billion through the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). At the time, the company had an estimated valuation of about $168 billion.
Alibaba built one of the world’s largest online shopping platforms. The company also expanded into cloud computing, digital payments, logistics, and many other technology services. Its IPO attracted investors from every corner of the world because China’s internet market grew at an exceptional pace. Before Saudi Aramco broke the record, Alibaba held the title of the world’s largest IPO for several years.
SoftBank Corp.
Japan’s SoftBank Corp. completed its IPO in 2018. The telecommunications company raised $21.3 billion through the Tokyo Stock Exchange. At the time of the listing, its valuation stood at approximately $65 billion.
SoftBank Corp. provides mobile phone, internet, and communication services across Japan. The company already had millions of customers before the IPO, which gave investors confidence in its stable business. The public offering became the largest telecom IPO in Japanese history and ranked among the biggest stock market debuts worldwide.
NTT DoCoMo
NTT DoCoMo, officially known as NTT Mobile Communications, completed its IPO in 1998. The company raised $18.4 billion through the Tokyo Stock Exchange. Its estimated valuation reached around $77 billion.
During the late 1990s, mobile communication became one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. NTT DoCoMo stood at the center of this revolution in Japan. The company introduced advanced mobile services long before smartphones became common. Investors believed mobile technology would shape the future, and the huge success of this IPO reflected that confidence.
Visa Inc.
Visa Inc. completed its IPO in 2008 and raised $17.9 billion through the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). At the time, the company had an estimated valuation of around $44 billion.
Visa operates one of the world’s largest electronic payment networks. Millions of businesses and consumers use Visa cards every day for secure and fast transactions. The IPO came shortly before the global financial crisis reached its peak, yet investors still showed strong interest because Visa had a solid business model and consistent revenue. For many years, it remained the largest IPO ever completed in the United States.
Why These IPOs Matter
These record-breaking IPOs represent more than large amounts of money. They show how investor confidence can shape financial markets. Every company on this list already had a strong position in its industry before the public debut. Investors believed these businesses had the ability to grow further and generate long-term value.
The list also reflects changes in the global economy. Energy companies, technology firms, semiconductor manufacturers, telecommunications providers, payment networks, and space technology businesses all appear among the largest IPOs. This shows how investor focus changes over time as new industries become more important.
Final Thoughts
The biggest IPOs of all time have changed stock market history. As of 23 July 2026, SpaceX holds the top position after raising $75.0 billion, followed by SK hynix with $26.5 billion and Saudi Aramco with $25.6 billion. Alibaba Group, SoftBank Corp., NTT DoCoMo, and Visa Inc. complete the list of the seven largest public offerings ever.
These companies come from different industries and countries, but they share one common feature. Each earned strong investor trust before its stock market debut. Their IPOs set new records, attracted worldwide attention, and became important milestones in global financial history.
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