NEW: Klarna and StubHub ABORT Going Public in Shocking Market Meltdown—Indefinitely…

Klarna and StubHub just looked at the market, saw it on fire, and decided now’s not the time to walk into the flames wearing a ticker symbol. And who can blame them? After Trump’s latest tariff grenade tanked the S&P 500 nearly 6% in one day, anyone trying to go public right now would need either a death wish or a serious misunderstanding of how markets work.

(Source: Giphy) 

So here we are, a full-hit the brakes on every Wall Street investment banker's wet dream. Klarna and StubHub—two of the more hyped IPO candidates this year—were supposed to be part of the 2025 comeback story. Klarna, the Swedish BNPL giant, was aiming to raise over a billion at a $15B+ valuation. StubHub was targeting $16.5B. Both had solid revenue growth. Both had name recognition. And yet, as it turns out, neither had the stones to go through with it once the market started melting down. 

For instance, StubHub has officially canceled a significant meeting with investors scheduled for next week, while Klarna pulled its own “this sh*t is radioactive, so let’s not die trying to sell shares in the middle of an all out trade war.” Now sure, we’ve already had CoreWeave and even the Cinderella story that is Newsmax, but one can’t deny how much of a blow this is to the IPO market—-especially as it’s still trying to crawl out of its post–2021 slump. But if companies with real revenue and Goldman Sachs in their corner are running for cover, what does that say about the rest of the pipeline?

(Source: Forbes) 

It says the IPO recovery narrative is dead—at least for now. The window was already narrow. Now, with tariffs sparking fears of a full-blown recession, that window just slammed shut. The whole story about 2025 being the year IPOs come back with a vengeance? Yeah, throw that in the trash.

As I’m sure you already know, the market isn’t reacting to earnings or fundamentals anymore. It’s reacting to headline risk, political chaos, and the kind of economic policy that makes institutional investors want to “honey I’m working late” at the strip club. Meaning, while Klarna and StubHub delayed their IPOs, what they really confirmed is that no one with half a brain wants to go public while Washington’s drawing trade war battle lines with 180 countries at once.

(Source: Giphy) 

So yeah, consider this just another gut punch to investor sentiment. It’s confirmation that no matter how strong your growth story is, you’re not pricing an IPO into a market that’s one Trump tweet or quote away from getting yeeted into the abyss. For now, keep your eyes on this story for when they do officially decide to light the match—but until then, place your bets accordingly, friends! Until next time… 

P.S. Last week was absolutely horrific. Portfolios are down and emotions are high. But do you know who slayed the week while everyone else was panic-selling? Stocks.News premium members. Click here to join the club, and get the deepest insights and most explosive moves BEFORE everyone else. 

Stocks.News does not hold positions in companies mentioned in the article.