Welcome to Tech in Asia’s daily newsletter, your essential dose of Asia’s tech and startup buzz. Not on the mailing list? Register here. Got a story tip? Send it to editors@techinasia.com.
In focus
- Why Vietnam’s booming market doesn’t do much for tech firms
- Destination Hong Kong for SEA’s IPO dreams?
- EFishery founder Gibran Huzaifah detained by police
Hello reader,
IPOs have been all over my LinkedIn feed thanks to Figma. The design platform’s 250% day-one pop and flirtation with a US$58 billion valuation are the kind of gaudy numbers that get founders dreaming of going public again.
But those dreams can feel pretty distant for founders in Southeast Asia, especially when the US markets seem to reward only the biggest companies.
The bar for a successful IPO on Wall Street has risen dramatically. These days, you need massive scale, deep-pocketed backers, and global name recognition just to get a seat at the table.
So how about listing at home? As our first top story explores, that’s far from an easy option for founders in Vietnam.
While the country’s markets may be enjoying a surge, the system isn’t built for startups. Vietnamese tech firms face outdated listing requirements along with restrictive foreign ownership limits and trading caps that deter serious institutional investors.
There could be a path to improving things if proposed reforms gain traction, but for now, that’s a big ‘if’.
Of course, listing domestically or in the US aren’t the only options for Southeast Asia’s tech champions who want to go public, as Hong Kong has reminded everyone this year.
Our second top story dives into the renewed interest from the region’s firms in listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. With looser listing requirements, access to Chinese investors, and a red-hot IPO market, Hong Kong could be a viable third path – but it’s not without its own set of challenges.
For Southeast Asia’s startups, going public isn’t just about where, it’s about what’s possible.
Peter Cowan, engagement editor
Top Stories
1️⃣ Vietnam’s market is booming, so why aren’t tech firms listing?
From our archives
Everyone’s talking about AI – but we’re going deeper.
Trending news
Stay updated on the go with our mobile app.
Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app.
