SHEIN mulls relocating to China in bid for HK IPO approval

Global online fashion and lifestyle retailer SHEIN has reportedly mulled relocating its headquarters back to China, aimed at securing approval from Beijing for its planned initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong.

According to Bloomberg, this move follows setbacks in SHEIN's previous listing attempts. The company’s application to list in New York faltered, and it was the subsequent failure to gain clearance from the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) for a London listing that prompted the brand's pivot to a Hong Kong listing.

SHEIN was in talks with lawyers about establishing a parent company in mainland China, though there is no guarantee the move will go ahead, according to the report.

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Originally founded in Nanjing in 2008, SHEIN established its core operations in China before moving its headquarters to Singapore in 2022.

Despite its Singapore base, SHEIN remains subject to Chinese regulatory oversight. The CSRC mandates that all firms with significant ties to China must undergo its review process before listing shares on any global exchange.

Consequently, winning the approval of Chinese authorities has become a critical and necessary step for the Hong Kong IPO to proceed.

Beyond confirming its ambition to go public, SHEIN has revealed few details about its long-awaited IPO plans. The company's executive chairman, Donald Tang, reiterated this commitment during an interview with The Times this March.

Facing pressure from a potential US$30 billion valuation cut and US tariff threats that could raise consumer prices, Tang said the planned IPO aims to build trust and transparency amid labour violation accusations, while assuring the company is focused on mitigating cost impacts without stockpiling inventory.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to SHEIN for a statement.

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