The U.S. is poised for a wave of significant IPOs, with Goldman Sachs projecting proceeds to quadruple to a record $160 billion in 2026.
The analysts also predicted that the number of IPOs will double to 120 this year, fueled by a recovering economy, stronger equity prices, and more favorable financial conditions, Reuters reported.
Software and healthcare firms are set to lead the IPO pipeline in number, while a handful of late-stage tech and AI companies are expected to generate the bulk of the proceeds.
According to Goldman Sachs, 2026 IPOs will be driven by large private company listings, with proceeds estimated between $80 billion and $200 billion. However, a recent software stock selloff highlights valuation risks, as the sector makes up about a quarter of the IPO backlog.
SpaceX, OpenAI Among Potential 2026 Listings
The IPO market has been showing signs of a significant uptick. Several companies have already raised approximately $5 billion through IPOs in 2026. Notable among them are AI equipment manufacturer Forgent Power (NYSE: FPS) and biopharmaceutical firm Eikon Therapeutics (NASDAQ: EIKN).
Earlier this year, Morgan Stanley predicted a wave of IPOs for 2026, citing a larger pipeline, a favorable regulatory environment and broader dealmaking, particularly in healthcare and industrials.
One of the most anticipated IPOs is that of SpaceX, which is expected to rival the market caps of Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) in a historic debut. The $1.25 trillion merger between SpaceX and xAI has only increased expectations about the SpaceX IPO, which could come as early as June. OpenAI and Anthropic are some of the other highly sought-after IPOs for 2026.