When a private company decides to go public, there are several options for making the transition that allows for the general public to purchase shares of the company on the open market.
The most common way this was done in the past was via a traditional IPO. In 2020, the SPAC exploded in popularity as a speedier vehicle to get a company to market.
An initial public offering or IPO is the process of a private company offering shares for sale to the public. This is typically done through “listing” shares on a stock exchange, where investors can then buy and sell stakes in the company.