EQDP puts SGX listings back on the radar for Singapore startups

[SINGAPORE] Startups in Singapore are increasingly considering a listing on the Singapore Exchange (SGX) as a route providing a viable exit option, as efforts to revive the equities market start to reshape how founders and investors view public listings.

The S$6.5 billion Equity Market Development Programme (EQDP), aimed at deepening liquidity and broadening investor participation in Singapore equities, has prompted some startups to re-evaluate an exit route that used to be overlooked because of the market’s thin trading volumes and low valuations.

Before the launch of the EQDP, consumer brand Stryv used to consider a trade sale or a management buyout as its main exit options.