SpaceX share sale values firm at $800bn ahead of IPO
SpaceX has launched a secondary share sale that values the company at about $800 billion as it prepares for a potential initial public offering next year.
In the letter dated December 12, SpaceX Chief Financial Officer Bret Johnsen said the company has approved a plan for new and existing investors, alongside SpaceX itself, to purchase up to $2.56 billion worth of shares from eligible shareholders at $421 per share, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
Johnsen said SpaceX is being prepared for a possible IPO in 2026, though the timing and valuation remain uncertain. “Whether it actually happens, when it happens, and at what valuation are still highly uncertain,” he wrote, adding that favourable market conditions and strong execution could allow the company to raise significant capital through a public listing.
An IPO of SpaceX would likely rank among the largest ever globally. Reuters previously reported that the company could seek to raise more than $25 billion, potentially as early as June, citing a source familiar with the matter.
The push toward a public offering has been driven largely by the rapid growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet business, including expansion plans for direct-to-mobile services. Progress in the company’s Starship rocket programme, which underpins ambitions for lunar missions and eventual journeys to Mars, has also boosted investor interest.
According to Johnsen, funds raised would be used to increase Starship launch frequency, deploy artificial intelligence data centres in space, advance plans for a Moonbase Alpha, and support both crewed and uncrewed missions to Mars.
Elon Musk has also fuelled speculation, hinting earlier this week on social media platform X that SpaceX could eventually go public. Bloomberg News and The New York Times separately reported the share sale on Friday.
Investor appetite has been strong, with some seeing a listing as a way to fund Musk’s long-term space ambitions. SpaceX is currently the world’s second-most valuable private startup after OpenAI, according to Crunchbase data.
The potential IPO comes as global equity markets see a revival in listings in 2025, following a prolonged three-year slowdown in public offerings.
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