How do I apply for an IPO in Nepal?

Open a DEMAT account at a participating bank, register on Mero Share (the official C-ASBA portal run by CDSC), link your bank as a C-ASBA bank, and when an IPO opens, log into Mero Share, choose the issue, enter the application units (minimum 10 in most issues, maximum varies), and confirm. The money is blocked in your bank account until allotment.

C-ASBA (Centralised Application Supported by Blocked Amount) is the official IPO application system in Nepal. When you apply, the money stays in your own bank account but is blocked until allotment. If you get shares, the bank debits the allocated amount; if you don't, the block is released. You never pay upfront to a broker or to the issuer.

Mero Share is the online portal operated by CDSC (Central Depository Services & Clearing) where Nepali investors apply for IPOs, FPOs, right shares and mutual funds. Every applicant in Nepal uses Mero Share — it is the only IPO application route.

What is the minimum IPO application in Nepal?

The minimum is typically 10 units per applicant. At a face value of NPR 100, that means an IPO application is rarely less than NPR 1,000. Maximum varies by issue — usually capped at a small percent of the total issue size to prevent concentration.

How do allotment results work?

Allotment is done by a public lottery overseen by the issue manager and SEBON. If the IPO is over-subscribed (which most NEPSE IPOs are), only a fraction of applicants receive shares — sometimes as low as one in 50. Allotment results are published in Mero Share within a few days of issue close.

What's the difference between IPO, FPO and right share?

An IPO (Initial Public Offering) is a company's first sale of shares to the public. An FPO (Follow-on Public Offering) is a subsequent sale of new shares to the public by an already-listed company. A right share is offered only to existing shareholders, in proportion to their current holding. All three are applied for through Mero Share.

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IPO & issues

How to apply for an IPO in Nepal (Mero Share + C-ASBA).

Applying for an IPO in Nepal happens entirely through Mero Share — the C-ASBA portal run by CDSC. Here's the four-step flow, plus how FPO and right-share applications work.

7 min read · Updated · 11 May 2026

The four steps

1. Open a DEMAT account

A DEMAT account holds your shares in electronic form. You can open one at almost any Nepali commercial bank — they're all CDSC depository participants — or directly through a licensed broker. Requirements: citizenship copy, passport-sized photo, and a small one-time fee (typically NPR 100–500 setup, NPR 100/year maintenance). Most banks complete DEMAT opening the same day if you walk in with documents.

2. Register on Mero Share

Mero Share is the online portal that CDSC operates for IPO applications. Visit meroshare.cdsc.com.np, create an account using your DEMAT and bank details, and submit the registration. Verification takes a day or two; once approved you'll get a username and PIN. Mero Share is the only legal channel to apply for IPOs in Nepal — there are no third-party shortcuts.

3. Link a C-ASBA bank

Inside Mero Share, you link a bank account as your C-ASBA bank. This is the account that the IPO application money will be blocked in. C-ASBA stands for Centralised Application Supported by Blocked Amount — instead of paying upfront, the money stays in your account but is frozen until allotment. If you don't get shares, the freeze is released; if you do, the bank debits the allocated amount.

4. Apply during the offer window

When an IPO opens (typically a 4–5 day window), log into Mero Share, find the issue in the My ASBA section, enter the application units (minimum 10 in most issues, maximum set per issue), choose your C-ASBA bank, and confirm. You'll receive an SMS confirmation from your bank that the application amount is blocked. That's it. No upfront payment, no broker fee for the application itself.

What happens after you apply

The block: The application amount stays in your bank but earns no interest while frozen. Typically it's released or debited within 7–15 business days after the issue closes.
Allotment lottery: Most NEPSE IPOs are heavily over-subscribed. The issue manager runs a public lottery, audited by SEBON. If you're in the small lucky pool, you get the minimum 10-unit allotment. A small chance of more for larger applicants.
Result publication: Allotment results are pushed to Mero Share. You see "Allotted: 10 / Applied: 30" or "Not allotted." Bank releases unfilled blocks within a couple of business days.
Listing on NEPSE: Allotted shares appear in your DEMAT and start trading on NEPSE within a few weeks of the IPO closing. The opening price is set by a book-building auction on listing day, after which the security trades like any other.

FPO vs IPO vs right share

All three are applied for through Mero Share, but they differ in who's eligible:

IPO (Initial Public Offering) — open to the general public. The company's first share sale.
FPO (Follow-on Public Offering) — open to the general public. The company has already been listed and is selling more new shares to raise capital.
Right share — open only to existing shareholders, on a date specified in advance (the book-closure date). If you hold the stock as of book-close, you're entitled to apply for new shares in a fixed ratio (e.g. 1:2 — one new share for every two you already hold). If you don't apply, the right lapses.

How Punji helps

Punji's Issues feed lists every open and upcoming IPO, FPO, right share, mutual fund and auction in one filtered feed, with the offer window, issue manager and prospectus link. Add your Mero Share login once and you can apply across all your accounts in one go — and check allotment results for every account by name — without leaving the app. Your logins stay safe on your phone and are never sent to Punji. See bulk IPO apply & results for how it works and the security behind it. Free for all users; no Pro paywall on the issues feed.

Once allotted, add the holding to your portfolio and Punji will track P&L from the IPO price forward, applying NEPSE-correct broker commission, SEBON fees and capital gains tax bands when you eventually sell.