Kyivstar Makes Historic Nasdaq Debut Under Ticker KYIV, Pioneering Ukraine’s Entry to US Markets

Ukraine’s largest telecom company and mobile operator, Kyivstar, announced that it has completed its listing on the Nasdaq Stock Market, with the company’s shares to trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol KYIV – the first-ever listing of a Ukrainian company on a US stock exchange. 

The listing was approved after Cohen Circle shareholders on Tuesday, Aug. 12, greenlit a $2.2 billion merger between Ukraine’s Kyivstar and the US-based special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). Nasdaq subsequently accepted the company’s documentation for trading.

Kyivstar will join Nasdaq’s Opening Bell ceremony in New York on Aug. 29, 2025, the company confirmed in a press release sent to Kyiv Post. 

“Our debut on the public market is a landmark event not only for the company, but for the entire Ukrainian business community,” the press release quotes Kyivstar President Oleksandr Komarov. “The Nasdaq listing enhances the company’s international recognition and underscores the strength and resilience of a leading Ukrainian business. It sends a powerful message to global investors that Ukraine is home to efficiently managed, high-performing, and innovative companies.” 

Komarov also thanked Kyivstar’s parent company VEON, the owner of 89.6% of Kyivstar Group Ltd, for its “steadfast support.” 

Other Topics of Interest

Ukraine's MHP Plans to Buy 70% of Greek Poultry Producer Nitsiakos

The Ukrainian agrifood group intends to buy into Th. Nitsiakos AVEE, a vertically integrated Greek producer founded in the 1970s, reserving the right to full ownership in the future. Closing still hinges on regulatory clearances.

From Khreshatyk to Wall Street

Kyivstar’s road to Nasdaq began in January, when it signed a memorandum of understanding with US investment firm Cohen Circle. Over the next six months, the company expanded beyond its core telecom operations, most notably acquiring Ukraine’s largest ride-hailing service, Uklon, for $155.2 million.

Telecom and broadband remain Kyivstar’s core businesses, with a 47% share of Ukraine’s communications market and a place among the top three broadband internet providers. As of June 30, the company served nearly 23 million mobile customers and over 1.1 million fixed broadband users.

As per Scroll.media, the Kyivstar Group portfolio also includes: 

• Kyivstar.Tech – 500 employees; $24.2 million revenue in 2024
• Kyivstar TV – 2 million registered users by the end of 2024
• Helsi (e-health platform) – 97.99% ownership; $5.1 million revenue in 2024
• Big data & cloud services – $11.2 million revenue in 2024, almost triple 2023’s results

The company employs about 4,000 people (excluding Uklon). As of March 31, it held $712 million in cash and equivalents before completing the Uklon acquisition.

Beyond Telecom

Kyivstar’s strategy focuses on value-added services, aiming to generate 20% of profits from non-telecom sectors by the end of 2025, according to Business Development Officer Zoia Dronshkevych. Future investment priorities include e-health, private clinics, and advertising technology – areas where the company believes it can transform traditional industry models.

Ukrainian companies on global markets

Although Kyivstar is the first Ukrainian company to list on a US stock exchange, it’s not the only Ukraineian company to have gone abroad.

The Warsaw Stock Exchange hosts Milkiland, Coal Energy, the country’s largest sugar producer Astarta, and agricultural companies Agroton and  KSG Agro. On the London Stock Exchange, Ukrainian agricultural holding MHP is also listed.

Ukraine also offers sovereign Eurobonds to global investors, with terms renegotiated last year.