Elon Musk's SpaceX might be gearing up for one of the biggest public market debuts in history. A recent Bloomberg report suggests the space company could hit the public markets in 2026 with a staggering $1.5 trillion valuation, potentially raising more than $30 billion in the process. That would shatter the current IPO record of $29 billion set by Saudi Aramco back in 2019.
While Musk has been quick to dismiss recent funding rumors, he's been notably quiet about IPO speculation. And for investors trying to figure out how to get a piece of the action before SpaceX goes public, there are actually more options than you might think.
The Numbers Behind the Hype
Let's talk about what we know. SpaceX is currently conducting a secondary offering that values the company at around $800 billion. That's the price where employees and early investors can sell portions of their stakes, and where SpaceX itself might buy back some shares. But if the Bloomberg report is accurate, the company could nearly double that valuation by the time it goes public.
What's driving this astronomical growth? Two words: Starship and Starlink. Musk himself posted on X that "SpaceX has been cash-flow positive for many years and does periodic stock buybacks twice a year to provide liquidity for employees and investors." He attributed the rising valuation to progress in both the Starship rocket program and the Starlink satellite internet service.
The revenue projections tell an interesting story. Analysts expect SpaceX to generate around $15 billion in 2025, jumping to somewhere between $22 billion and $24 billion in 2026. The bulk of that? Starlink, which has transformed from ambitious experiment to genuine cash machine. The proceeds from a potential IPO could fund the next frontier: space-based data centers.
At a $1.5 trillion valuation, SpaceX would become one of the most valuable companies on the planet, surpassing even Tesla Inc. (TSLA), Musk's electric vehicle company. Of course, the IPO could also slip to 2027, depending on how things develop.
Your Options for Early Access
So you want in before the IPO? Here's your menu of choices, ranging from indirect exposure through tech giants to specialized funds designed specifically for pre-IPO investing.
The biggest public-company shareholder is Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) (GOOG). Google's parent company dropped $900 million on SpaceX back in 2015 when the space company was valued at just $12 billion. Alphabet now owns roughly 7% of SpaceX and participated in later funding rounds as well. Do the math at current valuations and Alphabet's stake could be worth north of $100 billion. Yes, that's a small fraction of Alphabet's overall business, but it's not exactly pocket change either.
Bank of America Corp (BAC) invested $250 million in SpaceX back in 2018 when the company was valued at around $30 billion. It's probably not a compelling reason to buy bank stock on its own, but the stake should deliver a nice gain as SpaceX continues to appreciate.
Then there's EchoStar Corp (SATS), which might be one of the smartest SpaceX plays available. EchoStar recently struck a deal to sell spectrum licenses to SpaceX in exchange for $8.5 billion in cash and $8.5 billion in SpaceX stock. When that deal closed, SpaceX was valued at $400 billion. At today's $800 billion valuation, EchoStar's SpaceX stake could be worth more than $32 billion. EchoStar itself has a market cap of $25 billion and an enterprise value of $52 billion, which means the SpaceX position represents a substantial portion of the company's value.
The Fund Route
If you prefer diversified exposure or don't want to bet on individual companies, several funds offer SpaceX access.
Destiny Tech 100 Inc (DXYZ) is a publicly traded fund that specializes in pre-IPO tech companies. SpaceX is the fund's largest holding at 23.3% of assets. The fund can be volatile given its focus on private companies, and it's worth noting that Destiny Tech 100 doesn't hold SpaceX shares directly but rather gains exposure through special purpose vehicles.
The ERShares Private-Public Crossover ETF (XOVR) takes a different approach, holding both private and public companies. SpaceX exposure ranks as the fund's third-largest holding at 5.28% of assets, again accessed through an investment in Astra Holdings SPV, LP.
The Ark Venture Fund, available to retail investors through platforms like SoFi, also maintains a SpaceX position. And certain Fidelity mutual funds offer exposure as well, though the specifics vary by fund.
The Tesla Connection
Here's where things get interesting. Musk has previously stated that he'd prefer to offer SpaceX shares or Starlink investment opportunities to Tesla investors first. Whether that's still the plan for this reported IPO remains unclear, and whether he could actually pull it off legally is another question entirely.
Nobody should buy Tesla stock purely for potential SpaceX access, but if you're already a Tesla investor or considering the stock for other reasons, this could be a nice bonus. It's speculative, but Musk has a history of trying to reward loyal shareholders.
The Ripple Effect
A blockbuster SpaceX IPO wouldn't just matter for SpaceX. The entire space sector could catch a wave of enthusiasm and investor capital. Rocket Lab Corp (RKLB), probably the closest thing to a public SpaceX competitor, could benefit from renewed interest in commercial space companies.
Space-focused ETFs might also ride the momentum. The Procure Space ETF (UFO) and Ark Space & Defense Innovation ETF (ARKX) both offer broad exposure to the space industry, and a successful SpaceX debut in 2026 could put both funds in the spotlight as investors look for ways to play the theme.
For now, SpaceX remains private, and a 2026 IPO is still just a report, not a certainty. But with the company generating real revenue, operating cash-flow positive, and dominating both launch services and satellite internet, the path to public markets looks increasingly clear. Whether you go the Alphabet route, bet on EchoStar's massive stake, or choose one of the specialized funds, options exist for investors who don't want to wait for the opening bell.
