Elon Musk’s SpaceX officially began trading as a public company on Wall Street on Friday following the largest initial public offering in history, a landmark debut that raised more than $75 billion and valued the aerospace and technology giant at nearly $1.8 trillion.
The blockbuster listing places SpaceX among the ten most valuable publicly traded companies in the United States and is expected to accelerate a wave of major public offerings from artificial intelligence firms in the coming months.
Speaking at a launch event in Starbase, Texas, Musk used the occasion to reiterate his long-term vision of making humanity a multi-planetary species.
“SpaceX wants to be able to take you to the moon, take you to Mars, and ultimately beyond,” Musk told employees and supporters.
“I’m confident at this point that with the incredible team that we have here at SpaceX, that we will do that for you,” he added.
The company sold more than 555 million shares at $135 each, valuing SpaceX at just under $1.8 trillion and placing it ahead of major corporations including Tesla, Meta and Walmart in market value.
Additional options for nearly 83 million shares could increase the total value of the offering to more than $86 billion.
The company will trade on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “SPCX,” with investors closely watching market demand and the stock’s performance during its first trading sessions.
Founded by Musk in 2002, SpaceX has evolved from a private rocket startup into the world’s leading commercial space company.
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Its operations now include satellite internet provider Starlink and artificial intelligence company xAI, which also owns the social media platform X.
The public offering marks a significant milestone not only for SpaceX but also for the broader technology sector, with companies such as OpenAI and Anthropic reportedly preparing for future stock market debuts.
The IPO has also strengthened Musk’s position as the world’s richest individual and fuelled speculation that he could eventually become the first person in history to achieve a net worth exceeding $1 trillion.
Investor enthusiasm has remained strong despite concerns about the company’s ambitious projections and ongoing losses. SpaceX reported revenue of $18.7 billion in 2025 but posted a net loss of $4.9 billion, largely due to heavy investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure and future growth projects.
Much of the company’s valuation is tied to expectations surrounding the expansion of its Starlink satellite network, the growth of xAI and Musk’s long-term plans for space exploration, including crewed missions to Mars and the development of space-based infrastructure.
Analysts note that while the company’s vision remains highly ambitious, investor confidence has been driven by SpaceX’s dominance in commercial space launches and its growing influence in the satellite communications and artificial intelligence sectors.
The historic listing is expected to create thousands of new millionaires among current and former employees, while also delivering substantial gains for investors who backed the company during its years as a private enterprise.