SpaceX launched its initial public offering Friday at $135 per share, then opened trading at $150, a jump of 11 percent. The debut marks the most anticipated IPO in market history, according to trading data and investor demand metrics.
The Elon Musk-led aerospace company priced shares at the top of its $120 to $135 range, signaling confidence from underwriters and robust institutional appetite. Retail investors piled in immediately, pushing the stock well above the opening bell. The IPO values SpaceX at roughly $180 billion on a fully diluted basis, making it one of the largest tech debuts ever.
SpaceX went public against a backdrop of accelerating commercial space activity. The company dominates cargo resupply missions to the International Space Station through its Dragon capsule and has cornered the bulk of the U.S. national security launch market with Falcon 9 rockets. Its Starlink satellite internet unit, though not spun out separately, adds another revenue stream and represents a growing addressable market in broadband access.
The offering caps years of private fundraising that valued SpaceX at $180 billion. Previous rounds included participation from major institutional investors like Sequoia Capital, Fidelity, and Google Ventures. The IPO allows early backers liquidity and lets Musk retain voting control through a dual-class share structure typical of tech unicorns.
The timing reflects broader confidence in space infrastructure. Blue Origin, Amazon's aerospace venture, has ramped Kuiper satellite launches, while Axiom Space builds commercial space station modules. Yet SpaceX maintains commanding market share in launch cadence and government contracts.
Shares closed 18 percent above the IPO price on day one, with trading volume exceeding 500 million shares. The debut underscores investor appetite for companies with proven revenue, contracted