SpaceX Nears Stock Market Listing as IPO Could Break a Record

SpaceX, Elon Musk’s space exploration company, is reported to have appointed Goldman Sachs as the lead underwriter (lead left) for its plan to go public through an initial public offering (IPO). The IPO could become one of the largest stock market listings in history, given SpaceX’s valuation has surged in recent years. Citing CNBC on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, sources familiar with the discussions say Goldman Sachs will take the leading position on SpaceX’s IPO prospectus. Morgan Stanley will follow in second place, followed by Bank of America, Citigroup, and JPMorgan Chase. The IPO is expected to attract significant attention from global investors. The last reported valuation is about $1.25 trillion after Elon Musk merged the rocket company with xAI, his artificial intelligence company, in February 2026. If that valuation is maintained at the IPO, SpaceX could set a new record on the US stock market. Historically, only a handful of tech companies have managed to exceed a valuation of over $100 billion on their first day of trading on the US exchange; Facebook and Alibaba are two examples. The phenomenon reinforces the trend of growing investor interest in technology firms, especially those related to artificial intelligence (AI). SpaceX’s move to the public market is also seen as faster than several other AI firms preparing for IPOs. OpenAI and Anthropic, two AI model developers currently valued near $1 trillion based on private funding, are also reportedly considering initial public offerings in the near term. For Musk, SpaceX’s IPO plan comes amid other dynamics drawing public attention.