New Delhi

Quick-commerceunicorn Zepto is set to raise approximately Rs 1,000 crore in a pre-IPO funding round at a valuation of around $4.5 billion, and has pushed back its initial public offering timeline, sources privy to the matter said. The capital infusion is expected to be led primarily by domestic investors to raise Indian shareholding in the company, which currently stands at around 40 per cent. Zepto’s IPO, earlier targeted for July 2026, is held off for the time being, sources said. A mail sent to Zepto did not elicit any response.

The $4.5 billion valuation marks a moderation from the $7 billion valuation Zepto commanded in October 2025, when it raised $450 million in a funding round led by the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS). Founded by Stanford University dropouts Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, Zepto filed its preliminary IPO papers in December 2025 through the confidential pre-filing route with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi). According to the updated draft papers filed with markets regulator Sebi, Zepto is set to raise Rs 8,010 crore through a fresh issue of shares as part of its proposed initial public offering (IPO).