Record IPO and SPAC boom (2021)
U.S. companies raised a record haul in 2021, with more than 1,000 new listings. Roughly half came through special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), blank-check firms that take a company public by merger. Money poured into growth and tech names.
Proceeds hit about $142.4 billion, the mark 2026 is now chasing.
Many 2021 debuts and SPAC mergers fell sharply in 2022 as rates rose, and the IPO window slammed shut for years.
It sets the record 2026 aims to beat, and it is a reminder that a hot IPO year can be followed by a cold one.
