SpaceX appears to be on the verge of the largest initial public offering in history. After years of speculation and repeated public hesitation from Elon Musk, the SpaceX CEO has now effectively confirmed that the company is preparing for a public listing in 2026—setting off a wave of excitement across the financial and aerospace sectors.
The confirmation came through an exchange on X late Wednesday. Responding to Ars Technica journalist Eric Berger, who shared an analysis on why SpaceX appears ready to go public, Musk replied simply: “As usual, Eric is accurate.” The remark served as the strongest public acknowledgment yet that SpaceX is actively laying the groundwork for an IPO.
Multiple reports published over the past week suggest SpaceX is targeting a valuation far higher than earlier estimates. Bloomberg now expects the company to seek upwards of $30 billion in fresh capital at a valuation approaching $1.5 trillion—which would eclipse Saudi Aramco’s $29 billion IPO in 2019 and become the largest public listing ever completed.
The Information previously reported that SpaceX was working toward a late-2026 IPO, and Bloomberg’s reporting appears to reinforce that timeline. While Starlink had long been viewed as the business unit most likely to go public first, new details indicate SpaceX is now preparing to list its core business instead of spinning off Starlink.
A Major Shift from Musk’s Long-Held Stance
Musk has repeatedly said that SpaceX would remain private until the company achieved a stable and predictable cash flow. It appears that moment is close to being achieved.
Raising tens of billions through an IPO would give SpaceX the fuel to accelerate Starship development, expand Starlink capacity, and build the data-center and satellite backbone required for Musk’s broader AI ambitions.
Recent Activity Hints At Internal Preparations
The Wall Street Journal reported last week that SpaceX had been facilitating a secondary share sale for employees, with CFO Bret Johnson reportedly briefing investors on an upcoming tender offer. That transaction was said to value SpaceX at $800 billion or more, with employees selling roughly $2 billion worth of shares at $420 per share.
Musk publicly pushed back on parts of the report, stating it was “not accurate,” but the scale of activity suggests significant movement behind the scenes.
What’s Next
If SpaceX does go public at the valuations now being discussed, it would instantly rank among the world’s most valuable companies. With Musk publicly validating the reporting, it appears the countdown to the biggest IPO ever has officially begun.
