Taiwan’s stock exchange has opened up its innovation board to retail investors, giving them access to innovative startups and emerging industries, in a “significant reform” aimed at boosting market liquidity and positioning the island as a regional leader in innovation.
The board, which was set up in 2021 and now houses over 20 companies, was hitherto limited to some 300,000 qualified investors, such as institutions and those with substantial trading experience.
The Taiwan Stock Exchange says removing this restriction – a move that it calls “innovation board 2.0” – will open up access to the board to 13 million account holders.
“This significant reform aims to boost market liquidity, increase accessibility, and position Taiwan as a regional leader in innovation and investment,” the bourse says in a statement on January 7.
According to Sherman Lin, chairman and chief executive officer of the stock exchange, “innovation board 2.0 not only helps retain Taiwanese startups considering overseas listings but also aims to attract Asia's new economy companies”.
He also says the bourse plans to strengthen collaboration within the domestic innovation ecosystem as well as target companies from countries such as Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam to list on the innovation board.