Anchor Investors were introduced in the financial market by the Securities and Exchange Board of India in 2009 to act as a bridge between the company and the public.
Let’s talk about Anchor investors as they play a vital role in determining whether you are putting your money in an asset or not. Before we move ahead with a detailed discussion on what are anchor investors, know that anchor investors are one of the biggest driving forces that determine the value and movement of an asset in the market.
Meaning of Anchor Investors
Anchor investors, simply put, work like an entity that puts their name behind an asset before they are made public on the stock exchange to add value and authenticity to the asset. An anchor investor commits to subscribing to an asset at a predetermined price to help the asset create a strong name.
The simplest examples of anchor investors are mutual funds or financial funds and they play a vital role in determining the value of an asset, especially Initial Public Offerings (IPOs), as anchor investors play a significant role in the IPO process.
Importance of Anchor Investors
Anchor investors help bring credibility and visibility to an IPO. Their participation aids in price discovery and builds market confidence. Since these investors are allotted shares before the IPO opens to the public, their presence can help drive demand and support subscription momentum.
Here’s the role played by anchor investors that makes them an important player in the market and clears your doubts about what are anchor investors:
The decision of an anchor investor in an asset or security in the market adds credibility as anchor investors are known for their rigorous due diligence.
Trusting security in the stock market is tough when there is no transparency. However, if an anchor investor has invested in a security, this information is made public.
Affects the Market Value of a Security
A security with an anchor investor is usually seen to have a higher value in the stock market thus significantly influencing the success of any security.
How does Anchor Investors Work?
Anchor investors are allotted shares a day prior to the opening of the IPO. Up to 60% of the Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) portion can be allocated to anchor investors. The minimum application size for these investors is ₹10 crore. The shares are locked in for a minimum of 30 days from the allotment date.
Now that we have established that Anchor Investors play a significant role in the stock market, let’s understand how anchor investors operate:
An anchor investor has to follow a strict investment size while putting their money in security. For instance- According to SEBI, an anchor investor has to invest a minimum of ₹10 crore in an IPO.
Since anchor investors significantly influence security in the market, they have to abide by a lock-in period of 30 days i.e. they can not back out of a security before the passing of 30 days from the allotment date.
Every move of an anchor investor in the stock market is guided by SEBI to ensure credibility and transparency.
Benefits of Anchor Investors in IPOs
1. Institutional Participation
Their early entry adds institutional weight to the IPO issue.
2. Credibility for the Issuer
The involvement of well-known institutions can increase visibility and trust.
3. Support for Price Discovery
Their bids at the upper price band help establish IPO pricing benchmarks.
4. Early Subscription Momentum
Their participation encourages other investor segments to subscribe.
5. Market Sentiment Influence
Anchor allocation may positively influence retail and non-institutional interest.
Lock-in Period for Anchor Investors
1. 30-Day Lock-in Period
As per SEBI, anchor investors must hold their allotted shares for at least 30 days, reducing speculative activity immediately after listing.
2. Additional Lock-in for Large Issues
For IPOs above a certain size, 50% of the anchor portion may be locked in for 90 days. This extended lock-in provides additional market stability in case of large fundraising issues.
3. Purpose of Lock-in
The lock-in mechanism ensures stability and discourages immediate profit-booking.
4. Promotes Long-Term Holding
It signals a commitment from institutions beyond listing gains.
Examples of Anchor Investors
Anchor investors typically include mutual funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, and foreign portfolio investors. Some examples are HDFC Mutual Fund, SBI Life Insurance, ICICI Prudential, and the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC).
The simplest way to understand anchor investors meaning is by taking an example.
Let’s say a Company is planning to offer its 10,000 shares in the market as IPOs. Before introducing its IPOs in the stock market, the company reaches out to anchor investors like mutual funds or banks by offering them a large portion of their shares at heavily discounted rates.
The company allows 2,000 shares to mutual funds and 1,000 to banks. Now once the company goes public on the stock exchange, they have 7,000 IPOs for the public and support from names like mutual funds and a reputed bank to grow credibility and increase the price.
Anchor Investors vs. Other Types of Investors
Anchor investors apply before the IPO opens, while retail, HNI, and general QIBs participate during the subscription window. Anchor investors have a mandatory lock-in period. Their minimum investment threshold is also higher, indicating institutional scale.
The stock market has mainly 4 types of investors including anchor investors and each of them has a significant role to play. Let’s take a quick look at them:
Anchor investors are large financial entities that subscribe to shares primarily IPOs with a minimum amount of ₹10 crore.
Qualified Institutional Investors
As the name suggests, these are qualified institutional investors registered with the SEBI who are offered a company’s share at a lucrative price to increase the value of shares in the stock market. A company can not provide more than 50% of its shares to QIIs. They have to invest an amount more than ₹2 lakhs in shares of a company.
Non-Qualified Institutional Investors
They work the same as QIIs with the only difference being that the former is not registered with the SEBI.
Retail Individual Investors
Any individual who subscribes to a share for less than or up to ₹2 lakhs is a retail individual investor.
Impact of Anchor Investors on Share Prices
The participation of anchor investors can lend strength to share prices during and after listing. However, once the lock-in period ends, exits by large anchor investors can impact stock performance if demand does not sustain. Their role is significant in the initial stages but diminishes over time.
Now that you have all your doubts cleared on what are anchor investors, let’s take a quick look at the impact anchor investors have on share prices:
The Price Discovery of Shares
Enhancing Credibility of Shares
Ensuring Price Stability due to Lock-in Period
A Boost to Investors’ Confidence
How to Attract Anchor Investors?
Anchor investors are institutional participants who subscribe to shares a day before an IPO opens. Their presence supports price discovery, enhances credibility, and helps attract broader investor interest. SEBI regulates their participation through specific guidelines on allocation, lock-in, and disclosure.
Since an anchor investor plays a vital role in determining the price of a share, it is obvious for a company to find ways to attract reliable anchor investors. While there isn’t a set formula to attract an anchor investor, here are two key factors a company must know:
SEBI Regulations for Anchor Investors
1. Allocation Limit
According to SEBI, a maximum of 60% of the Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) category can be allocated to anchor investors.
2. Application Size
Anchor investors must apply for a minimum value of ₹10 crore in an IPO. This threshold ensures that only large, serious institutional investors with sufficient financial capability participate in the anchor category.
3. Lock-in Requirement
A 30-day lock-in is mandatory; for large IPOs, 50% of the anchor allocation may be locked for 90 days.
4. Disclosure Rules
Details of anchor allocation must be disclosed to the public and stock exchanges.
5. Pricing
Anchor investors are allotted shares at a price decided before the IPO opens to other categories, generally at the upper end of the price band.
Shares are allotted at a uniform price within the IPO price band.
Conclusion
Anchor investors are institutional participants who subscribe to shares a day before an IPO opens. Their presence supports price discovery, enhances credibility, and helps attract broader investor interest. SEBI regulates their participation through specific guidelines on allocation, lock-in, and disclosure.
The financial world is filled with complicated terms that often appear too technical and complex to understand. However, once you get familiar with these terms you can make your investment portfolio stand out amongst others.
The early commitment of an anchor investor works like a two-headed wand that helps an IPO or asset gain the confidence of investors and the anchor investor benefits from a lower investment size.
If you have reached here, you have familiarised yourself with anchor investors meaning it’s time to create a free demat account or Open trading account at a reliable portal like Bajaj Broking to start investing.