Egypt postpones Banque du Caire IPO to end-2026 amid market and geopolitical pressures

CAIRO - 8 June 2026: Egypt has delayed the initial public offering (IPO) of Banque du Caire to the end of 2026, pushing back the planned listing that was previously expected before the end of June, according to a senior government official cited by Al Arabiya Business.

 

The decision was made in coordination between the banks managing the offering, Banque Misr, and the Central Bank of Egypt, due to ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and subdued market conditions during the summer period.

 

According to the official, investor roadshows are now expected to begin in October, with the listing targeted for completion and trading to start before the end of the year, subject to market stability and investor demand.

 

The IPO has experienced multiple delays over the past years, including during the 2008 global financial crisis, lack of market readiness in 2017, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the Russia–Ukraine war in 2022, and valuation and timing disagreements in 2025.

 

The official confirmed that the fair valuation process has already been completed, stressing that the remaining step is market promotion and testing investor appetite at an appropriate time.

 

He added that the relevant committee under Egypt’s state ownership framework has approved the valuation methodology, while investment banks are preparing to launch marketing efforts in the coming period.

 

The government also denied reports that the stake size for the offering, previously speculated at 40–45 percent, has been finalized, noting that no decision has yet been made regarding the final percentage.

 

In parallel, preparations continue for the IPO of Misr Life Insurance, which is still under review by the Egyptian Sovereign Fund and the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, with financial advisers working on valuation and structure assessments.

 

Egypt is also advancing its broader state IPO programme, which includes plans to list four additional government-related companies on the Egyptian Exchange before the end of the month, bringing total listings since April to 20 companies.

 

Officials said up to 10 companies in the petroleum sector are being prepared for listing during June and July, as part of the government’s wider strategy to expand capital markets and attract private investment.