Stock Markets February 17, 2026

Blackstone-Backed Liftoff Mobile Pulls IPO Registration

Company withdraws SEC filing after earlier postponement amid software sector turmoil

By Maya Rios
Blackstone-Backed Liftoff Mobile Pulls IPO Registration

Liftoff Mobile Inc., backed by Blackstone Inc., has formally withdrawn its registration for an initial public offering, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The move follows an earlier postponement of a planned offering that could have raised up to $762 million and occurs amid widespread weakness in software stocks tied in part to investor concern about the effects of artificial intelligence.

Key Points

  • Liftoff Mobile, backed by Blackstone Inc., filed to withdraw its IPO registration with the SEC.
  • The company had paused plans to raise as much as $762 million less than two weeks prior to the withdrawal.
  • The withdrawal comes amid a sector-wide selloff in software stocks tied to investor concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence.

Liftoff Mobile Inc., a mobile advertising platform supported by Blackstone Inc., has withdrawn its registration statement for an initial public offering, according to a filing submitted to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday.

The company had announced a pause in plans to seek public capital less than two weeks earlier, when it said it was postponing an effort that had aimed to raise as much as $762 million. In the formal withdrawal filed with the SEC, Liftoff did not provide an explanation for abandoning its IPO registration.

The decision comes against the backdrop of difficult conditions for software companies. The filing notes a sector-wide selloff that has been linked to investor concerns about the impact of artificial intelligence, and Liftoff’s peers in the industry have seen sharp declines in their share prices over the same period.

Timeline details appear in Liftoff’s filings: the company initially submitted its registration statement to the SEC on January 13, 2026, and filed amendments on January 16, January 28, and January 29. The registration was declared effective on January 30, 2026, but Liftoff did not sell any securities under that registration.

Beyond the filing dates and the public note that no securities were issued, the submission to the SEC contains no further detail on the company’s rationale for withdrawing the registration or on any alternative financing plans. The withdrawal was limited to the formal request recorded in the SEC filing; it did not include commentary or projections about future actions.


Context and implications

While Liftoff’s filing is concise and factual, it underscores broader market dynamics affecting companies that had been preparing for public listings. The combination of an active amendment schedule in January, a registration declared effective, and the absence of any realized share issuance highlights how market forces can halt a planned IPO even after regulatory clearance.

For investors and market participants, the withdrawal will be read in light of ongoing volatility in the software and advertising technology spaces. However, the filing itself does not identify any direct operational or financial issues at Liftoff, nor does it state specific next steps.

Summary

Liftoff Mobile has officially retracted its SEC registration for an IPO after initially postponing a planned offering that could have raised up to $762 million. The move occurred amid a selloff in software stocks associated with concerns about AI, and Liftoff did not sell any securities under its registration despite it being declared effective at the end of January 2026.

Risks

  • Market conditions in the software sector may limit opportunities for public offerings - impacts technology and advertising sectors.
  • Investor concerns about artificial intelligence have driven a selloff that has affected peers and could influence timing of future capital raises - impacts software and ad-tech markets.
  • The SEC filing does not specify reasons or next steps, creating uncertainty around Liftoff’s near-term financing strategy - impacts company stakeholders and potential investors.

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