SpaceX shares gained 4.7% on Tuesday, their third day of trading on the Nasdaq, pushing the company’s market value to $2.65 trillion and making it the world’s fifth-largest publicly traded company. The aerospace company owned by Elon Musk has now surpassed Amazon and briefly overtook Microsoft in market capitalization since its initial public offering last Friday.
The stock, which trades under the ticker symbol SPCX, has climbed nearly 35% from its initial price of $150 per share to as high as $225. Shares closed Tuesday at $201.68, representing a gain of nearly $900 billion in value since the company debuted at a $1.77 trillion valuation.
Main developments
SpaceX began trading on the Nasdaq on Friday afternoon at $150 per share. Within three trading sessions, the company added approximately $900 billion to its market capitalization, demonstrating extraordinary investor enthusiasm for the aerospace firm.
The company’s rapid ascent through the rankings of publicly traded companies has been remarkable. By Tuesday, SpaceX had firmly established itself as the fifth-largest publicly traded company globally, overtaking Amazon. At certain points during trading, SpaceX briefly surpassed Microsoft to become the fourth-largest company, though it ultimately closed below that threshold.
In addition to the stock performance, SpaceX announced on Tuesday that it had finalized a deal to acquire Cursor, an AI coding firm, in a transaction valued at $60 billion. The two companies had agreed to an outline of the deal back in April 2026. The acquisition includes an alternative payment option of $10 billion, according to the terms.
What we know so far
The SpaceX IPO has generated unprecedented interest among retail investors. Researchers at Vanda issued a note to clients Monday night with a striking assessment of the market dynamics.
“There is only one stock retail investors care about right now,” Vanda researchers wrote, referring to SpaceX.
The firm provided additional context about the scale of retail investor activity: “On a net basis, retail investors have now bought almost as much SPCX over the last two sessions as they bought across the entire US stock market last week.”
The enthusiasm for SpaceX has had measurable effects on other companies in the aerospace sector. According to analysts at Bespoke Investment Group, “the rest of the space-stock space sold off hard as investors rotated into SPCX.”
Specifically, Virgin Galactic, which trades under the ticker SPCE, faced steep selling pressure. EchoStar and AST SpaceMobile also fell following the SpaceX debut as investors reallocated their portfolios toward the newly public company.
Retail investor perspective
Forde Todd, a 20-year-old retail investor, represents the type of individual buyer who has driven significant trading volume in SpaceX shares. Todd received three shares in the IPO and currently holds eight shares, having generated approximately $600 in profit.
“I was considering selling all my eight shares that I currently hold today and profiting for a very nice gain. However, at the end of the day, I do believe in the company. I do believe in Elon Musk. And I do believe in Starlink,” Todd explained.
Despite his enthusiasm for the company’s mission, Todd also expressed caution about the valuation levels SpaceX has achieved so quickly.
“My caution is that this is a company that has raised very little, that has made very little earnings, is currently worth more than companies that have existed for the past 20 years and have billions of dollars’ worth of revenue,” Todd said.
Stock performance breakdown
The three days of trading have produced significant gains for early investors. Here is how SpaceX stock has performed since the IPO:
The company debuted at $150 per share on Friday, establishing an initial market valuation of $1.77 trillion. Since then, shares have climbed nearly 35%, reaching an intraday high of $225 before settling at $201.68 at Tuesday’s close.
On Tuesday alone, the stock gained 4.7%, adding to the momentum established in the first two trading sessions. The cumulative effect has been an increase of nearly $900 billion in market value, bringing the total to $2.65 trillion.
SpaceX options trading is set to begin on some exchanges, which could introduce additional trading activity and price volatility as investors gain new ways to take positions in the company.
Cursor acquisition details
The acquisition of Cursor, an AI coding firm, represents SpaceX’s expansion beyond its core aerospace business. The $60 billion deal was finalized on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, though the companies had agreed to an outline of the transaction in April 2026.
The deal structure includes an alternative payment option valued at $10 billion, providing flexibility in how the acquisition may be completed.
Impact on space sector stocks
The arrival of SpaceX as a publicly traded company has created significant market dynamics within the space industry. Several established space-related stocks experienced declines as capital flowed toward the new market entrant.
Virgin Galactic, trading under the ticker SPCE, faced particularly steep selling pressure. EchoStar and AST SpaceMobile also recorded losses following the SpaceX debut.
Analysts at Bespoke Investment Group characterized the situation as investors rotating out of other space stocks and into SpaceX, suggesting a reallocation of capital within the sector rather than new money entering the space industry overall.
What happens next
SpaceX options trading is scheduled to begin on some exchanges, which will provide investors with additional instruments to trade the stock beyond simple share purchases. This development could increase trading volume and potentially affect price volatility.
Market observers will continue monitoring whether the company can maintain its position among the largest publicly traded companies globally as trading continues in the coming sessions.
Frequently asked questions
What is SpaceX stock ticker symbol?
SpaceX trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol SPCX.
How much is SpaceX worth now?
As of Tuesday, June 16, 2026, SpaceX reached a market value of $2.65 trillion, making it the fifth-largest publicly traded company in the world.
What was SpaceX IPO price?
SpaceX debuted on the Nasdaq on Friday at $150 per share, with an initial valuation of $1.77 trillion.
How much has SpaceX stock gone up since IPO?
SpaceX shares have climbed nearly 35% since the IPO, rising from $150 to as high as $225, and closing Tuesday at $201.68.
Did SpaceX acquire another company?
Yes, SpaceX announced on Tuesday that it finalized a $60 billion deal to acquire Cursor, an AI coding firm. The outline of the deal was agreed upon in April 2026.
SpaceX continues trading on the Nasdaq as investors assess the company’s valuation relative to its earnings and revenue, with options trading set to begin on some exchanges in the near term.
