SpaceX debuts at over $2 trillion valuation

SpaceX made a massive stock market debut on Friday, becoming one of the most valuable companies in the entire world.

The rocket company priced its initial public offering (IPO) at $135 per share. The stock quickly gained more than 20% after trading opened. Shares later closed at about $161, giving the company a market value above $2 trillion.

The valuation places SpaceX among the six most valuable publicly traded companies in the country. Only Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon and Alphabet are worth more.

The IPO also raised about $75 billion, making it one of the largest public offerings ever.

SpaceX’s IPO has also made Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.

Founded by Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX has grown far beyond rocket launches. The company now operates businesses in satellite internet and artificial intelligence.

Its biggest commercial success is Starlink, a satellite internet service with millions of users worldwide. The company also owns xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup behind the Grok chatbot.

The strong debut reflects investor confidence in SpaceX’s long-term growth plans. Many investors believe the company can reshape multiple industries, much like Tesla did in the electric vehicle industry.

Musk said the company needs fresh capital to fund its next phase of growth. The company plans to expand satellite infrastructure and develop new space technologies.

It is also pursuing one of Musk’s most ambitious goals: establishing a human settlement on Mars.

Speaking during the company’s market debut, Musk repeated his 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,” he said.

Despite investor enthusiasm, some analysts remain cautious. Much of SpaceX’s valuation depends on technologies that could take years to mature.

The company continues to spend heavily on projects that require significant investment. Future growth will depend largely on the success of Starlink, launch services and emerging businesses.

Even so, investors continue to back Musk’s vision. That confidence has become a defining feature of many of his companies.

The successful IPO strengthens SpaceX’s position as a major technology company. It also gives the company more resources to pursue its long-term ambitions in space and artificial intelligence.