Quick commerce powerhouse Zepto has filed initial papers confidentially with the regulator SEBI as it gears up for a public market debut in 2026. Zepto is aiming to raise ₹11,000 crore ($1.2 billion) at a valuation of $7-8 billion through its IPO. Here, we will cover details of the confidential filing of Zepto and its valuations, and what investors can expect in the forthcoming IPO launch this year.The confidential filing and its significanceZepto filed its DRHP before SEBI on December 26, 2025, after approval from shareholders to raise funds. This is a confidential filing that helps the company get private feedback related to disclosures, size, and price before going public, commonly followed by new-age peers like Swiggy, Meesho, and PhonePe. It's Zepto's first IPO push, backed by a move to a public company status with explosive scaling in the hyperlocal grocery delivery space.IPO size and valuationAlthough the final price band has not yet been announced, the company is expected to list during the third quarter of 2026 (July - September). Zepto is aiming to raise a massive capital pool of around ₹11,000 crore ($1.2 billion) through its IPO. This IPO is likely to be a combination of a substantial fresh issue of equity shares for expansion and an Offer for Sale (OFS) for offering exit to early investors. Zepto is said to be aiming for a valuation of $7 billion for its IPO, after its $450 million raise in October 2025 led by CalPERS and previous rounds totalling $1.8 billion from General Catalyst, Nexus, and Lightspeed. The decision to include a significant fresh issue indicates that the management plans on using the raised capital to aggressively grow its dark store network, expand deeper into Tier-2 cities, and strengthen its balance sheet against its competitors, such as Blinkit and Swiggy Instamart.To manage its public issue, Zepto has appointed a consortium of top investment banks like HSBC, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Axis Capital, JM Financial, IIFL Securities, and Motilal Oswal.Zepto business modelFounded in 2021 by Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra, Zepto operates on an asset-light quick-commerce model with 900+ dark stores across key cities, providing 10-minute delivery of groceries and essential items. Its revenue is derived from 15-20% take rates on GMV, ads, and private labels, and is focused on urban millennials. The company has evolved beyond just delivering groceries; now it is diversifying aggressively into high-margin categories such as beauty, electronics, and apparel. Furthermore, its newer vertical, Zepto Cafe, has been a significant revenue driver as it caters to the instant food and beverage needs of urban millennials.What does the financial performance say?For FY2025, Zepto reported its total sales of ₹9,668.8 crore (up 129% YoY from ₹ 4,224 crore) but net losses swelled by 177% to ₹ 3,367 crore amid dark store ramp-up and promotions. Its operational revenue was around ₹1500-2000 crore (15-20% of gross GMV), with a loss at 35% of turnover as compared to 29% last year. The high-burn scale-up precedes profitability focus, mirroring sector peers like Blinkit.Why does this IPO matter?Zepto is one of India's largest quick commerce players that offers 10-minute deliveries across metros with cutting-edge supply chains. A successful IPO of Zepto could:Validate the Model: Prove that high burn quick commerce models can become sustainable public companies over the long term.Unlock Liquidity: Will provide huge returns to early backers while funding 1,000+ more dark stores.Set a Benchmark: Set a valuation floor for the sector, which will affect the way future consumer tech startups are priced in India.With the Indian primary market witnessing record inflows, Zepto's listing in 2026 will serve as a litmus test for the investor appetite towards high-growth, loss-making consumer tech companies.The bottom lineZepto's IPO is an attractive opportunity for retail investors to invest in a high-growth sector in the quick commerce industry, but the success of Zepto will depend on its ability to reduce losses and maintain its high market share against competitors. With strong support of top bankers and a valuation benchmark at $7 billion, this IPO offering could raise ₹11,000 crore and test the public market appetite for loss-making unicorns.