UPDATE: Nasdaq has just announced a significant change that will impact small Chinese companies looking to go public in the U.S. Starting immediately, companies operating primarily in China will be required to pay at least $25 million from their public offerings. This decision aims to curb the surge of tiny initial public offerings (IPOs) and comes amidst escalating tensions between the U.S. and China.
Officials revealed the new fee late Wednesday, signaling a stricter regulatory environment for small Chinese firms seeking to list on the Nasdaq. This move is a direct response to a wave of recent IPOs that have raised concerns about potential market manipulation and compliance issues.
“It will be more difficult for small Chinese companies to go IPO on the Nasdaq under the new rule,” said Winston Ma, adjunct professor at NYU School of Law. He further explained that the rule addresses cases of ‘pump and dump’ schemes, which have been associated with small float sizes.
The Nasdaq has observed that IPOs with offering sizes below $25 million often come with a higher rate of compliance concerns. This change comes as small China-based companies listed on U.S. exchanges surged to 35 in 2024, nearly double the 17 U.S.-based microcap listings, according to Renaissance Capital.
This new requirement is expected to eliminate much of the funds raised in smaller IPOs, effectively reshaping the landscape for these companies. Gary Dvorchak, managing director at Blueshirt Group, views this rule as a positive step towards instilling confidence among investors. “It protects the companies as well,” he noted.
Notably, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) must formally approve Nasdaq’s proposal. Companies currently in the IPO pipeline will have a 30-day window to complete their processes under the existing rules, while all future listings will be required to comply with the new fee structure.
This regulatory shift comes as the Nasdaq faces broader financial market challenges and as geopolitical tensions with China heat up. Just hours before the announcement, Beijing declared new punitive tariffs on U.S. optical fiber producers, showcasing the deteriorating trade relations between the two nations.
“China is saying: we are prepared to fight fire with fire,”
stated Stephen Olson, a visiting senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. He added that the trade truce between the U.S. and China could collapse at any moment, further complicating business dynamics.
These developments raise significant questions about the future of Chinese firms in U.S. markets, especially as Nasdaq’s stringent fee structure may deter many smaller companies from pursuing IPOs altogether. The exchange has indicated that the risk to U.S. investors is heightened due to the inability to take legal action against potentially manipulative trading activities associated with these listings.
As tensions between the U.S. and China continue to escalate, analysts predict that this new IPO fee could be just the beginning of a series of regulatory changes affecting international trade and investment. The Nasdaq’s move reflects a growing trend of scrutiny surrounding tiny Chinese IPOs, which have been under increasing regulatory pressure for years.
With the stakes higher than ever, market participants are urged to stay informed about these developments that could reshape the future of cross-border investments.
As this situation evolves, all eyes will be on how these changes impact the IPO landscape for Chinese companies and what further actions may be taken by both Nasdaq and regulatory bodies in the U.S. and China. Stakeholders should prepare for a rapidly changing environment that could redefine the rules of engagement in international financial markets.
