Quick Take
- Top mutual funds want Zepto IPO valuation at $4-5 Bn (Rs 48,100-60,125 Cr), down from October 2025’s $7 Bn peak.
- The pushback threatens Zepto’s Rs 8,010 Cr IPO, planned for the next two weeks on BSE and NSE.
- Talks aim to close by Tuesday, with funds benchmarking Zepto against listed rivals Eternal and Swiggy.
In This Article
The Zepto IPO valuation has hit a wall. Top domestic mutual funds have pushed back against the $7 Bn (Rs 67,375 Cr) tag Zepto wants, demanding a cut to $4-5 Bn (Rs 48,100-60,125 Cr) before they commit to its Rs 8,010 Cr public offering, according to reports citing people familiar with the talks.
The resistance complicates Zepto’s plan to launch its initial public offering (IPO) within the next two weeks. Asset managers, among the biggest investors in recent IPOs, told the Bengaluru-based company’s representatives they would not be comfortable subscribing at the higher valuation. SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) received Zepto’s confidential draft filing earlier this year, and both parties are racing to close negotiations by Tuesday.
StartupFeed Insight
The quiet number here is the gap itself. A $2-3 Bn haircut in nine months signals that public markets price quick commerce very differently from late-stage private rounds, where cash-flush pension funds like CalPERS set the last mark. Founders eyeing 2026 listings should watch this closely: Zepto is the first big qcom name to test whether Indian mutual funds will pay private-round prices for loss-making growth. StartupFeed expects Zepto to file its updated draft prospectus at a $4.5-5 Bn valuation within the next four to six weeks, trimming its fresh issue rather than abandoning the listing. By Harshvardhan Jain.
Zepto IPO Valuation: The Key Numbers
The Zepto IPO valuation dispute centres on a wide gap between the company’s ask and what funds will pay. The table below sets out the core figures behind the standoff.
| Metric | Detail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Valuation demanded by funds | $4-5 Bn (Rs 48,100-60,125 Cr) | 30-40% below the last private mark |
| Peak private valuation | $7 Bn (Rs 67,375 Cr) | Set in October 2025 |
| Planned IPO size | Rs 8,010 Cr | Fresh issue plus Offer for Sale (OFS) |
| Last funding round | $450 Mn (Rs 3,757 Cr) | Led by CalPERS, October 2025 |
| FY26 net loss | Rs 5,910 Cr | Up from Rs 4,700 Cr in FY25, per DRHP |
| Negotiation deadline | Tuesday | Pricing range due in about two weeks |
The most striking figure is the loss. Zepto reported a net loss of Rs 5,910 Cr in fiscal 2026, up from Rs 4,700 Cr a year earlier, per its draft prospectus. That widening gap is exactly what makes funds cautious on price.
About Zepto
Zepto, run by Kiranakart Technologies, is a quick commerce platform delivering groceries and daily essentials in about 10 minutes through a network of dark stores. Founded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, the Mumbai-based company processed more than 640 million orders in FY26 across 1,139 stores. Its backers include CalPERS, General Catalyst, Lightspeed, StepStone, and Nexus Venture Partners.
Why are mutual funds demanding a valuation cut?
Mutual funds are demanding a lower Zepto IPO valuation because they benchmark the company against listed rivals whose shares they can track daily. Fund managers point to SEBI’s disclosure framework and to the performance of Eternal and Swiggy, both of which trade well below their own IPO prices, as reasons to question Zepto’s ask.
What we are saying is, if you can get the participation of the majority of the other big funds, we will also look into it again, one top official at a large mutual fund said, according to reports.
The logic is simple. Zepto still burns cash, lacks a food-delivery arm to soften the losses, and competes in an ultra-crowded market spanning groceries, electronics, and everyday items. Funds that anchor an IPO book expect a discount for that risk, not a premium built on a private-round mark.
How does Zepto compare with Eternal and Swiggy?
Zepto competes directly with Eternal-owned Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart in India’s quick commerce market. Both rivals are already listed, giving funds a live yardstick that Zepto lacks. The table below shows how the three stack up on structure.
| Player | Listing status | Key edge |
|---|---|---|
| Zepto (Kiranakart) | Pre-IPO, Rs 8,010 Cr planned | Pure quick commerce focus, 640 Mn FY26 orders |
| Blinkit (Eternal) | Listed via Eternal | Food delivery plus qcom under one roof |
| Instamart (Swiggy) | Listed via Swiggy | Deep food-delivery base funding qcom push |
What sets Zepto apart, and works against it here, is that it is a standalone qcom bet with no food-delivery cushion, so its losses sit fully exposed to public-market scrutiny.
What’s Next
Zepto and its bankers aim to settle the Zepto IPO valuation with anchor funds by Tuesday, then release a pricing range within about two weeks. Any deal struck more than 20% away from the original size would force a fresh draft filing with SEBI, adding weeks to the timeline. Will Zepto blink first, or will the funds?
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. StartupFeed and its authors are not SEBI-registered investment advisors. The analysis above is based on publicly available information and should not be the sole basis for any investment decision. Please consult a SEBI-registered financial advisor before making investment decisions.
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