Shein is accused of using cotton sourced from Xinjiang, a region at the centre of international human rights controversy. Credit: Kaspars Grinvalds/Shutterstock.

Online fast-fashion brand Shein is targeting to complete the initial public offering (IPO) in London by mid-year, reported Reuters citing two sources familiar with the development. 

This development hinges on securing the necessary regulatory approval.  

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The timeline could see the IPO come to fruition as soon as Easter, 20 April 2025, one of the sources added. 

The impending visit of UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves to China could be pivotal in advancing Shein’s regulatory approvals.  

Reeves is slated to engage in dialogue with Vice Premier He Lifeng on matters of economic and financial cooperation. 

The chief of Britain’s Financial Conduct Authority, tasked with the scrutiny and authorisation of flotations such as Shein’s proposed IPO, will accompany Reeves to meetings in Beijing and Shanghai, liaising with regulatory counterparts. 

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A second source also confirmed Shein’s aspirations for a mid-year listing, although they noted that the exact schedule remains tentative, according to the news agency.  

Despite relocating its headquarters from Nanjing to Singapore in 2022, Shein still necessitates approval from the Chinese government.  

In June 2024, the group Stop Uyghur Genocide (SUG) made public its intent to legally contest the listing of Shein on the London Stock Exchange.  

The group accused Shein of utilising cotton sourced from Xinjiang, a region at the centre of international human rights controversy.  

Recently, Shein Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, general counsel Yinan Zhu, sidestepped direct questioning by a British parliamentary committee regarding the use of Xinjiang cotton or directives to suppliers concerning sourcing from the region.  

Zhu deferred, opting to submit written responses later and asserting compliance with applicable laws across all jurisdictions where Shein operates.