SINGAPORE – Singapore’s stock market exchange regulator will take over the review of the listing process, and commits to processing complete applications within six to eight weeks.
The move, announced on Nov 3, follows a month-long consultation that ended on Nov 29, 2025, and comes after a review group’s recommendations to simplify the listing process and encourage more companies to go public in Singapore.
From Jan 4, 2027, Singapore Exchange Regulation (SGX RegCo) will review the listing documents submitted by prospective issuers seeking to list on the mainboard and Global Listing Board (GLB).
The GLB lets eligible companies valued at $2 billion or more list on SGX and NASDAQ at the same time, using a single set of offering documents.
Previously, prospective issuers had to engage SGX RegCo on their suitability to list and separately submit their listing documents to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) for review under a much longer process.
Issuers will now submit both the prospectus and listing application to SGX RegCo via the regulator’s electronic submissions portal, which will serve as a central interface for reviews, document tracking and regulatory correspondence.
Having a single touchpoint is expected to streamline the review process for applications while maintaining the quality of the review, said SGX RegCo.
MAS will retain the power to determine and grant exemptions from prospectus disclosure requirements and will continue to oversee the regulatory responsibilities performed by SGX RegCo.
Steps have been taken to ensure SGX RegCo is equipped and adequately resourced for its expanded responsibilities. These include broadening the range of qualified individuals who may be appointed as SGX RegCo directors, thereby incorporating a more diverse range of industry perspectives and insights at the board level.
“Ensuring appropriate safeguards to maintain the independence of SGX RegCo board’s judgment will remain our priority,” SGX RegCo said.
The regulator will also disband the Listings Advisory Committee, which predates SGX RegCo and was set up to carry out the exchange’s regulatory duties independently of its commercial operations.
SGX RegCo chief executive Tan Boon Gin said the changes will enable greater regulatory certainty for companies seeking to list on the SGX. “Singapore investors have become more sophisticated, and they have access to more information of higher quality. Equity investing has also become much more global in nature. This requires an evolution of our philosophies and roles,” he said in a statement.
He added that under the exchange’s new disclosure-based approach, SGX RegCo will focus on ensuring that companies give investors the information they need to assess for themselves the merits of investing in a stock.
Respondents to the consultation – comprising law firms and issue managers – were supportive of the changes, citing a more streamlined listing process, reduced regulatory touchpoints for issuers and improved market efficiency and competitiveness.
At the same time, many highlighted the need for continual process improvements driven by ongoing market engagement, and the importance of accessing practitioner expertise in SGX RegCo’s work.
SGX RegCo will therefore be soliciting feedback from market participants as the changes are made and will assess the need for further enhancements.
Robson Lee, director at Kennedys Law, noted that while having a consolidated gateway to review and process listing applications will expedite the process and shorten the time to market, “whether more and better issuers will be attracted to list on the Singapore bourse will primarily depend on valuations and liquidity, post-initial public offering”.
Lee welcomed the regulator’s assurance that faster reviews would preserve listing standards and the requirement for full and accurate disclosures so investors can make informed decisions.
