Elon Musk's SpaceX is on the verge of what could become the largest initial public offering in history, with the rocket and satellite company aiming to raise $75 billion at a valuation of about $1.75 trillion. Investor demand has been extraordinary, with Reuters reporting that subscriptions are running at nearly four times the shares on offer.
Yet, the story behind the IPO is not just about one of the world's most valuable private companies finally heading to the public markets. It is also about how the potential wealth creation may extend far beyond senior executives and early investors.
According to a NYT report, 4,400 employees stand to benefit from the listing through SpaceX's employee stock option plan (ESOP) and become millionaires. Further, around 400 employees could hold stock worth more than $100 million.
Trevor Hise joined the company in 2011. At the time, SpaceX was much smaller and far from the global powerhouse it is today. As part of his compensation, he received more than 100,000 shares. If the IPO price is $135 per share, those shares would be worth at least $13.5 million, the report added.
Michael Limas, a Brownsville-based financial planner, reportedly told Bloomberg that stock options have been distributed widely within the company, including among non-technical staff. "SpaceX has been very friendly with options at various levels, from top to bottom. It's something that's unique to this area," Limas said.
Euro News also cited an example from research platform Moby to highlight the scale of the potential gains. The report said a welder who initially received stock options worth $10,000 (€8,650) now holds shares valued at nearly $880,000 (€762,000) ahead of the IPO.
While individual outcomes may vary, the example reflects what the report describes as a broad-based culture of employee ownership at SpaceX.
SpaceX IPO details
The much-anticipated SpaceX IPO is scheduled to be priced on June 11, with trading set to commence on the Nasdaq on June 12. The company is looking to raise $75 billion through the offering, which would value the business at approximately $1.75 trillion.
Despite the enormous investor enthusiasm, SpaceX remains loss-making. For 2025, the company reported revenue of $18.67 billion and a net loss of $4.94 billion. Much of the bullishness around the stock is tied to its future opportunities across satellite broadband, launch services, defence contracts and AI-related businesses rather than its current earnings profile.
Also read: Explained: How SpaceX’s $75 billion IPO could create opportunity for Inox India shareholders
Not everyone is convinced by the valuation, however. Morningstar said in a note published on Monday that the company appears "significantly overvalued" and suggested that investors may find more attractive entry opportunities after the stock begins trading.
(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)
