Bullish’s NYSE debut saw shares soar over 200% from the IPO price, pushing the market value past $16 billion as investor demand intensified.
By José Rafael Peña Gholam
Editor Marco T. Lanz
Updated
3 mins read
Shares of Bullish, the cryptocurrency exchange backed by Peter Thiel, made an explosive debut on the New York Stock Exchange, opening at $90, a leap of over 200% from its initial public offering price of $37.
This surge instantly placed Bullish’s market capitalization above $16 billion and sparked trading halts due to volatility within minutes of the opening bell. At the close of trading, its market cap stood at $10.23 billion.
Bullish CEO Tom Farley, center, is flanked by Coin Desk CEO Sara Stratiberdha, and Bullish Chairman Brendan Blumer, as he rings the ceremonial bell of the New York Stock Exchange. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) · ASSOCIATED PRESS
On August 13, 2025, Bullish shares began trading under the ticker “BLSH.” Opening far above the IPO price, the stock quickly reached intraday highs of over $100 before settling from its immediate spike, according to Yahoo! Finance. The strong debut reflects investor appetite for crypto asset platforms amid a period of rising prices. The NYSE debut came on a day when Bitcoin itself was nearing all-time highs, reinforcing the bullish sentiment.
Graphic price of shares BLSH. Source: Yahoo! Finance
Institutional interest was a defining feature, with actors like BlackRock and Ark Invest reportedly lining up to purchase as much as $200 million of shares at the IPO price, according to SEC documents. Bullish, led by former NYSE president Tom Farley, has positioned itself as an institutional-grade platform, distinguishing itself from retail-focused competitors and leveraging ownership of crypto outlet CoinDesk to integrate data and trading services further.
Bullish’s path to public trading saw multiple revaluations fueled by strong investor demand. Initial expectations for the IPO placed shares between $28 and $31, supporting a $4.2 billion valuation. As the IPO approached, the company raised the price to a range of $32 to $33, then finally priced at $37 per share after institutional orders vastly exceeded available shares. This adjustment expanded the offering from 20.3 million shares to 30 million, with the final pre-market value of $5.41 billion.
The shares closed the day at $71.25 with a market cap of $10.233 billion, representing an increase of 90% on its first day in the market. This is outstanding performance for the IPO of a crypto company. The most recent was Circle’s IPO, which saw a more than 20% increase in its shares on the first day, more conservative compared with BLSH shares on the first day.
The Bullish IPO arrives amid a wave of fintech and crypto companies going public in 2025, including Circle and CoreWeave, each seeing significant first-day gains. Market observers note that heightened regulatory clarity and renewed institutional engagement are fueling confidence in crypto-related equities. Bullish’s performance underscores the current phase of market optimism, with more financial and crypto firms preparing for their listings, like Grayscale and eToro.
Although the stock experienced dramatic volatility and regulatory circuit breaks in its first hours, the overwhelming demand retroactively validated Bullish’s last-minute upward revisions. The company’s future, however, will depend on its ability to sustain profitability, navigate sector competition, and manage exposure to digital asset volatility.
Disclaimer: Coinspeaker is committed to providing unbiased and transparent reporting. This article aims to deliver accurate and timely information but should not be taken as financial or investment advice. Since market conditions can change rapidly, we encourage you to verify information on your own and consult with a professional before making any decisions based on this content.
José Rafael Peña Gholam is a cryptocurrency journalist and editor with 9 years of experience in the industry. He wrote at top outlets like CriptoNoticias, BeInCrypto, and CoinDesk. Specializing in Bitcoin, blockchain, and Web3, he creates news, analysis, and educational content for global audiences in both Spanish and English.
