Shein prepares for London Stock Exchange listing
Shein plans for a London Stock Exchange listing after facing hurdles in New York. It’s in a race against time. Matthew Partridge reports


The fast-fashion group Shein, valued at $66bn in a fundraising round last year, is preparing to list in London, says The Guardian.
Its attempt to float in New York earlier this year faced “regulatory hurdles and pushback from US lawmakers”. The news comes on the heels of warnings from the China Securities Regulatory Commission that it “would not recommend” a listing in the US.
As a result, the online retailer may now file with the London Stock Exchange (LSE) as soon as this month. London may be Shein’s “second choice”, but the news will be welcomed by both the government and the London Stock Exchange, which have both been “pedalling hard to attract” fresh initial public offerings (IPOs), says Susannah Streeter of Hargreaves Lansdown.
MoneyWeek
Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Sign up to Money Morning
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter
Still, despite the boost for the City, the company is likely to present “deep ethical issues for investors to navigate”. In particular, Shein has come under “significant criticism” for the “huge volumes of cheap clothes it produces, the lack of transparency in its supply chain and its appropriation of other designers’ work”.
Will Shein be welcomed on the London Stock Exchange?
Shein certainly comes “with more baggage than a celebrity takes on holiday”, says AJ Bell’s Dan Coatsworth. However, the fact that it’s a “household name” in many parts of the world, as well as a company that “everyone is talking about”, thanks to the “attractive prices” that it offers, will give it a leg-up with investors.
What’s more, many argue that the fact it wants “to be seen as a global player and not simply a Chinese firm flogging cheap togs overseas” means it will learn “to do things the right way and become a good corporate citizen”. That “could encourage others to look hard at the UK as a listing venue”.
Not so fast, says Alex Brummer in the Daily Mail. Even if you ignore the ethical issues, the IPO may not live up to the previous “heady valuation” from its last round of fundraising. After all, “fast fashion can be a volatile enterprise”, as former “king of the high street” Philip Green found out the hard way.
What’s more, while Shein is nominally headquartered in Singapore, its large exposure to China means that it could be caught up in the geopolitical fallout from any Chinese attack on Taiwan, such as sanctions, frozen assets or even delisting.
Many British fund managers have seen plenty of consumer-orientated companies “disappoint” after coming to the market in a “blaze of hype”, says Sam Chambers in The Sunday Times. As a result, they may “proceed with caution”.
Already, some observers are wondering whether the group’s “stratospheric rise could soon level off” thanks to intense competition from Shein’s rival Temu and the prospect of regulatory crackdowns on fast fashion. There is general agreement that Shein “can’t put off its float for much longer” if it wants to get a decent price.
This article was first published in MoneyWeek's magazine. Enjoy exclusive early access to news, opinion and analysis from our team of financial experts with a MoneyWeek subscription.
Get the latest financial news, insights and expert analysis from our award-winning MoneyWeek team, to help you understand what really matters when it comes to your finances.

Matthew graduated from the University of Durham in 2004; he then gained an MSc, followed by a PhD at the London School of Economics.
He has previously written for a wide range of publications, including the Guardian and the Economist, and also helped to run a newsletter on terrorism. He has spent time at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and the consultancy Lombard Street Research.
Matthew is the author of Superinvestors: Lessons from the greatest investors in history, published by Harriman House, which has been translated into several languages. His second book, Investing Explained: The Accessible Guide to Building an Investment Portfolio, is published by Kogan Page.
As senior writer, he writes the shares and politics & economics pages, as well as weekly Blowing It and Great Frauds in History columns He also writes a fortnightly reviews page and trading tips, as well as regular cover stories and multi-page investment focus features.
Follow Matthew on Twitter: @DrMatthewPartri
-
Oracle’s shares surge as OpenAI deal boosts outlook
Gains of 36% in a day for Oracle’s stock made co-founder Larry Ellison briefly the world’s richest man
-
Review: Puerto Rico – embrace the spirit of Boricua
Travel Natasha Langan discovers why the indigenous name for Puerto Rico has come to define this Caribbean island’s vibrant culture
-
'Where to find the world’s hidden gems offering durable growth and value'
Opinion Joe Bauernfreund, chief executive officer and chief investment officer, AVI Global Trust, highlights three businesses where he'd put his money
-
What are wealth taxes and would they work in Britain?
The Treasury is short of cash and mulling over how it can get its hands on more money to plug the gap. Could wealth taxes do the trick?
-
UK bank stocks are no bargain – here's a safer alternative
Opinion Britain's banking sector faces severe political risks. Switch into this global financials trust instead, says Max King
-
Gold mining stocks outperform gold – can it last?
Opinion Gold miners are shining brighter than the yellow metal for the first time in this cycle. Enjoy the ride while it lasts, says Cris Sholto Heaton
-
The AI barons call time on the bubble
Opinion OpenAI's Sam Altman and other tech giants are warning that the AI boom is reaching dangerous territory. They may end up as the authors of their own demise
-
Three small companies with big potential
Opinion Nish Patel, portfolio manager of The Global Smaller Companies Trust, picks three small companies where he'd put his money
-
Automatic Data Processing is making big profits from organising offices – should you invest?
Automatic Data Processing has established itself as a one-stop shop for managing the workplace. Is it a sound long-term investment?
-
Crypto mogul Do Kwon pleads guilty to fraud
South Korean entrepreneur Do Kwon, who used to call critics cockroaches, faces a long spell in jail after pleading guilty to fraud relating to the collapse of two digital coins