Shein, the Chinese-founded fast fashion company, is reportedly eyeing a London stock market debut early next year.

The Times reports that the retail giantis gearing up for an initial public offering (IPO) on the London Stock Exchange in the first quarter of 2025, with the blockbuster float expected to value the firm at £50bn. Insiders revealed to the newspaper that Shein plans to host an initial investor roadshow in the upcoming weeks, where it will likely engage with institutional investors.

A prospectus for the stock market float is currently being shared among a select group of stakeholders. The Singapore-based company, which has yet to comment on these reports, is said to be working with advisers from US banks Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley on the process.

Shein has set its sights on a London listing after facing intense scrutiny over its initial plans to list in the US, where it would have been required to submit a public filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The proposed listing could be one of the largest in London in recent years, coming at a time when IPOs on London's public markets are scarce.

However, the potential listing has also sparked concerns among politicians and campaigners about possible ethical and governance issues, particularly those related to its labour and supply chain.

Despite being headquartered in Singapore, the majority of the company's operations remain in , which is likely to complicate the listing process. In a recent announcement, Shein disclosed that its UK sales exceeded £1.5 billion last year, with profits nearly doubling.