SpaceX IPO Makes Musk First Trillionaire Amid Reports of Foreign Investors
3 verified5 unconfirmed1 contested
SpaceX went public last week in a highly anticipated initial public offering, making founder Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. The company’s stock began trading on the Nasdaq, with shares initially priced at $135. Sources differ on the company’s market valuation, with one report putting it at approximately $1.77 trillion and another noting it reached $2.7 trillion shortly after the IPO. The offering was the largest ever, attracting global attention. In the lead‑up to the IPO, SpaceX barred investors from China and Hong Kong from buying shares due to regulatory concerns, according to one report. Another report highlighted that the company’s rise has been fueled by hype, regulatory favor, and insider advantages, raising questions about modern capitalism. Meanwhile, newly unsealed court records reveal that a businessman with ties to Chinese military contractors and an entity linked to the Qatari royal family acquired stakes in SpaceX while it was still private, though the investments were routed through offshore secrecy hubs.
What’s verified
SpaceX went public last week.
Elon Musk became the world’s first trillionaire as a result of the IPO.
The IPO was the largest ever.
Where accounts differ
One source reports that SpaceX reached a market valuation of approximately $1.77 trillion after its IPO. Another source reports that the company’s valuation hit $2.7 trillion as of a day after the IPO.
Not yet confirmed
A single report states that the IPO price was $135 per share.
A single report states that SpaceX barred investors from China and Hong Kong from buying shares in the IPO due to “regulatory and compliance risks.”
A single report details that a businessman with ties to Chinese military contractors and an entity linked to the Qatari royal family acquired stakes in SpaceX before it went public, with investments routed through a middleman firm called Tomales Bay Capital.
A single report outlines accusations of self‑dealing, including a deal between SpaceX and Musk’s AI startup, and claims that index funds changed rules to include SpaceX automatically in retirement portfolios.
It remains unclear whether the Chinese investors obtained any nonpublic information about SpaceX’s technology or strategies.
Key figures
Elon Musk: Founder and CEO of SpaceX.
Brendan Carr: Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (mentioned in one source).
David Su: Co‑founder of Beijing venture capital firm MPCi (mentioned in one source).
Iqbaljit Kahlon: Founder of Tomales Bay Capital (mentioned in one source).
Bret Johnsen: CFO of SpaceX (mentioned in one source).
Sarah Bauerle Danzman: Indiana University professor and former State Department official (mentioned in one source).
Betsy DeVos: Former U.S. Secretary of Education (mentioned in one source).
Abhishek Singhvi: Indian politician (mentioned in one source).
Roman Sobachevskiy: Venture capitalist (mentioned in one source).
Sources: The Guardian, propublica.org
