Go public in the U.S. via reverse takeover.
Reverse Takeover arranges reverse mergers of private companies into clean Nasdaq, NYSE American and OTC shell companies — a faster, more certain route to a US listing than a traditional IPO.
Advisory & arranger — we coordinate US securities counsel, PCAOB-registered auditors and transfer agents.
A single route, arranged end to end.
We help private companies become publicly traded in the United States by merging into an existing, clean US-listed shell — and we stay involved from the first conversation to the first day of trading and beyond.
Reverse takeovers
Structuring and arranging the merger of your private business into a public shell, so your operating company becomes the listed company. Share exchange, control, and post-closing reporting, coordinated with your counsel and auditors.
Reverse takeovers →Clean Nasdaq shells
Sourcing and vetting public shell companies — Nasdaq, NYSE American and OTC — with clean reporting histories, resolved liabilities, and a shareholder base fit for an uplisting or continued listing.
Nasdaq shells →Going-public advisory
Choosing between a reverse takeover, a Form 10 shell, an APO, or an IPO; readiness on audits, disclosure, and listing standards; and assembling the counsel, auditor, transfer agent and market-maker team.
Going public in the US →Cross-border listings
From Hong Kong we work with companies across Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas — navigating home-market structure, audit-eligibility, and the disclosure a US listing demands.
Markets we serve →What a reverse takeover is.
A reverse takeover (RTO), also called a reverse merger, is a transaction in which a private company becomes publicly traded by merging with an existing public shell company. The private company's owners receive the majority of the enlarged company's shares, and the private business becomes the public company's business. Because the listed vehicle already exists and already reports, the route can be faster and more price-certain than a traditional IPO.
- A reverse takeover makes a private company public by merging it into an existing US-listed shell, rather than by selling new shares to the public in an IPO.
- The private company's shareholders end up owning the majority of the public company — hence “reverse.”
- Common US venues are Nasdaq, NYSE American and the OTC Markets tiers (OTCQX and OTCQB); the choice depends on size, float and listing standards.
- An RTO is typically completed in around three to six months, subject to audited financials and SEC review of the required disclosure.
- Reverse Takeover is an advisory and arranger — not a broker-dealer, law firm or auditor; regulated work is done by licensed specialists we coordinate.
See whether a reverse takeover fits your company.
Read the full guide →Five disciplined stages.
Readiness review
We review your business, ownership, and financial-statement readiness, and recommend the right route and venue — or tell you plainly if a US listing is premature.
Shell selection
We identify and diligence candidate shells for a clean reporting history, resolved liabilities, capital structure and shareholder base — or plan a Form 10 self-filing.
Deal structuring
With your counsel we structure the share exchange, control, valuation and any concurrent financing, and prepare the required SEC disclosure.
Merger & filing
The merger closes, the “super 8-K” and related filings go in, and the transfer agent and market-maker steps are completed for trading under the new business.
Life as a public company
We help you stand up ongoing reporting, investor relations and, where relevant, an uplisting from OTC to Nasdaq or NYSE American as the business grows.
A closer look at each stage and what it asks of you.
The full process →Companies we take to the US, by market.
We advise private companies worldwide on listing in the United States by reverse takeover. Each market page sets out the home-market context, audit and structuring considerations, and the US venues that fit.
- ChinaSSE · SZSE · HKEX
- Hong KongHKEX
- SingaporeSGX
- IndiaNSE · BSE
- United Arab EmiratesDFM · ADX
- United KingdomLSE · AIM
- IsraelTASE
- CanadaTSX · TSXV
All markets we cover, with per-country detail.
Browse every market →Why founders choose a reverse takeover.
Speed
The public vehicle already exists and already reports, so the path to trading is measured in months, not years.
Certainty
Terms are negotiated between two parties rather than set by an IPO book, reducing exposure to market windows.
Access
A US listing opens a deeper pool of capital, a tradable currency for acquisitions, and global visibility.
Control
Founders typically retain majority ownership of the enlarged company, subject to any concurrent financing.
A reverse takeover is not right for every company. See the trade-offs.
Reverse merger vs IPO →Understand the route before you take it.
What is a reverse takeover?
The mechanics of an RTO, step by step, and where it sits among the ways a company can go public in the US.
Read →Reverse merger cost & timeline
What drives the budget and the schedule — audits, counsel, the shell, and the SEC review — in general terms.
Read →Clean shell vs dirty shell
Why the quality of the shell is the single biggest risk in a reverse takeover, and how diligence protects you.
Read →The full library of reverse-takeover explainers.
All insights →Reverse takeovers, in brief.
Q1What is a reverse takeover?
A reverse takeover (RTO), also called a reverse merger, is a transaction in which a private company becomes publicly traded by merging with an existing public shell company. The private company's shareholders receive the majority of the shares of the public company, and its business becomes the public company's business. Because the public vehicle already exists, an RTO can be completed faster and with more price certainty than a traditional IPO.
Q2What is a Nasdaq shell company?
A shell company is a public company with a listing and reporting history but few or no active operations. A “Nasdaq shell” is one whose securities are listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. A private company can merge into a clean shell and, subject to meeting Nasdaq's initial listing standards, continue trading under the combined business. Where a shell trades on the OTC Markets, an uplisting to Nasdaq or NYSE American can follow once the standards are met.
Q3Is a reverse takeover faster than an IPO?
Often, yes. Because the public company already exists and is already reporting, a reverse takeover is typically completed in around three to six months, versus roughly twelve to eighteen months for a traditional underwritten IPO. Timing depends on the readiness of the private company's audited financial statements and the SEC review of the required disclosure. This is general information, not a guarantee of any timeline.
Q4Does Reverse Takeover act as a broker-dealer?
No. Reverse Takeover is an advisory and arranger. It is not a registered broker-dealer, law firm, or audit firm, and it does not provide investment, legal, tax, or accounting advice. Regulated activities are carried out by appropriately licensed US securities counsel, PCAOB-registered auditors, transfer agents, and broker-dealers introduced to the transaction.
Tell us about your company.
A short, confidential enquiry is enough to begin. Tell us your business, your home market, and roughly what you are trying to achieve, and we will tell you honestly whether a reverse takeover fits.