SpaceX accelerates IPO timeline, targets June 12 listing on Nasdaq: sources

The company’s debut comes at a pivotal moment for the IPO market

Published Sat, May 16, 2026 · 12:20 PM
    • SpaceX is likely to target a raise of about US$75 billion at a valuation of roughly US$1.75 trillion.
    • SpaceX is likely to target a raise of about US$75 billion at a valuation of roughly US$1.75 trillion. PHOTO: REUTERS

    [NEW YORK] Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite maker SpaceX is aiming to list its shares as early as Jun 12 and has picked the Nasdaq as the trading venue for its blockbuster market debut, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters on Friday (May 15).

    The listing, one of the most anticipated in years, is expected to headline this year’s crowded initial public offering calendar that could also include artificial intelligence heavyweights Anthropic and OpenAI, both of which are expected to tap public markets.

    SpaceX’s debut comes at a pivotal moment for the IPO market, which has rebounded after struggling over the past couple of years amid volatility fuelled by US tariff policy and geopolitical uncertainty.

    Set to trade under the ticker ‘SPCX’, the company has accelerated its IPO timeline and is now aiming to make its prospectus public as early as next Wednesday, with a roadshow launch targeted for Jun 4 and the share sale as early as Jun 11, according to three sources familiar with the matter.

    The new plan to IPO during the second week of June represents a quicker-than-expected timeline for SpaceX’s offering, moving forward a process that had initially been targeted for late June – around the time of Musk’s birthday – the sources said, requesting anonymity as the discussions are private.

    A faster-than-expected review of the company’s IPO paperwork by the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) was partially responsible for the company’s move to bring forward the listing timeline, the sources added.

    DECODING ASIA

    Navigate Asia in
    a new global order

    Get the insights delivered to your inbox.

    SPCX was previously the ticker for Tuttle Capital Management’s SPAC-focused ETF before the firm switched to the SPCK ticker in April. The move at the time triggered speculation about SpaceX potentially choosing the newly available ticker.

    Reuters was first to report in March that SpaceX was leaning towards listing its shares on the Nasdaq, as it sought early inclusion on the Nasdaq-100 index.

    SpaceX did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Nasdaq and the SEC declined to comment.

    Marquee offering

    The listing would mark a major victory for Nasdaq, staving off competition from its crosstown rival, the New York Stock Exchange.

    It comes on the heels of the recent rollout of Nasdaq’s highly anticipated ‘fast entry’ rules to speed up the entry of newly listed large-cap companies to its benchmark Nasdaq-100 index. Other leading index operators, such as S&P Dow Jones Indices and FTSE Russell, have also launched similar rules to fast-track new listings to their respective benchmarks, seeking to turbocharge the pipeline of IPOs.

    Nasdaq has previously said that it widely sought feedback from market participants on the fast-entry rules and that it had a transparent index governance process.

    SpaceX is likely to target a raise of about US$75 billion at a valuation of roughly US$1.75 trillion, which would make it the biggest stock market flotation of all time, Reuters has previously reported. The US$1.75 trillion target represents a significant step up from the US$1.25 trillion combined valuation set when SpaceX merged with Musk’s AI startup xAI in February.

    Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan, and Goldman Sachs are the lead bookrunners for the offering, with 16 other banks in smaller roles spanning institutional, retail and international channels. REUTERS

    Decoding Asia newsletter: your guide to navigating Asia in a new global order. Sign up here to get Decoding Asia newsletter. Delivered to your inbox. Free.

    Share with us your feedback on BT's products and services