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![\"Nik](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Nikolay-Storonsky-Revolut.jpg.webp.png\")
\t\tRevolut boss Nik Storonsky has played down the prospects of a London IPO\t<\/p>\n
Fintech firms considering joining the public markets should avoid the \u201ctrap\u201d of floating too early or risk \u201cdisaster\u201d, a top London venture capital investor has warned.<\/p>\n
Speaking at an Innovate Finance panel discussion chaired by City AM, James Codling, managing partner of VC firm Volution, said fintechs must make sure they \u201cget to the right place\u201d in shoring up their business models before exploring an IPO.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is nothing wrong with companies staying private for longer\u2026if they have access to capital,\u201d Codling said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe had a couple of fintech high-profile IPOs\u2026 in 2018, and they floated and it was a complete and utter disaster.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I think float when it\u2019s the right time to float. Don\u2019t fall into the trap of floating too early and then finding that the market goes, \u2018Oh, this business model\u2019s pretty sh*t, actually.\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a real problem and I think the fintech IPO market hasn\u2019t recovered since then because [big price volatility] spooks the market.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we need a functioning IPO market but I\u2019d be more than happy to see our companies stay private for longer to make sure that they get to the right place before they can float.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\t\t\tUK still waiting on IPO revival as 2025 cohort offers glum returns<\/a><\/p>\n The remarks come as the London Stock Exchange seeks to court top London fintechs to IPO in the UK instead of the US in a bid to revive London\u2019s public markets.<\/p>\n After a nadir in the first half of the year, London saw a flurry of IPOs in the final months of 2025 including tinned tuna giant Princes and private equity-backed bank Shawbrook.<\/a><\/p>\n It\u2019s hoped that top UK fintechs can carry the baton forwards in 2026<\/a>, with the likes of fintech unicorns Zilch, Zopa, Monzo and Starling all having actively talked up the prospects of floating.<\/p>\n But Revolut, by far the UK\u2019s most valuable fintech, has so far played down the possibility of a London float<\/a>, instead talking up the prospects of a listing in New York.<\/p>\n Also speaking at the Innovate Finance panel, Neil Shah LSEG said: \u201cWe definitely want to see more companies come to market.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s so many fantastic [fintech] businesses, there\u2019s no reason why I don\u2019t believe the rest of the market won\u2019t get excited about some of these businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n