SpaceX’s debut on the Nasdaq on June 12, 2026, made more than 4,400 current and former employees millionaires, according to analysis cited by the New York Times, marking one of the most significant wealth transfers in corporate history tied to a single market event.
The company completed the largest initial public offering ever, raising $75 billion by pricing shares at $135 each and reaching a valuation of $1.77 trillion. Shares opened at $150 and closed their first trading day at $160.95, a gain of 19% that extended the wealth windfall for employees holding equity in the company.
SpaceX’s employee equity program had been central to the company’s compensation strategy for years. Most employees received compensation through restricted stock units (RSUs) and incentive stock options (ISOs), vesting over multi-year schedules. The company also ran periodic liquidity events before going public, allowing employees to sell shares in secondary markets, though many held their positions ahead of the IPO.
Beyond the 4,400 millionaires, nearly 400 employees saw their holdings valued at $100 million or more after the opening-day surge. The wealth extended across the workforce—from engineers and machinists to welders and cafeteria workers—because SpaceX had distributed equity broadly rather than concentrating it among executives and founders.
The IPO shattered the previous record, set by Saudi Aramco in December 2019. The Saudi oil giant raised $25.6 billion at a $1.7 trillion valuation, a mark that stood for nearly seven years. SpaceX’s $75 billion raise nearly tripled that figure, according to reporting from the New York Times and Bloomberg.
The stock’s momentum continued into its second trading day on Monday, June 15, when shares climbed another 20%, closing at $192.46 and adding roughly $412 billion in market value. However, the stock later pulled back, shedding much of its early gains by late June after peaking at $201.80 on June 18, according to financial reports.
Sources
- The New York Times — Reported that more than 4,400 current and former SpaceX employees would become millionaires, with about 400 earning $100 million or more.
- CNBC — Confirmed SpaceX’s IPO pricing at $135 per share with a $1.77 trillion valuation, and reported stock gains of 20% in the second full day of trading.
- NPR — Documented the stock’s 19% first-day gain, closing at $160.95.
- Bloomberg — Reported the $75 billion raise and stock’s second-day surge of 20%, adding $412 billion in market value.
- Reuters — Noted Saudi Aramco’s previous record of $25.6 billion raised at a $1.7 trillion valuation in 2019.
- Forbes — Covered SpaceX’s employee equity compensation programs, including RSUs and stock options as core compensation elements.
- National Center for Employee Ownership — Confirmed SpaceX’s use of qualified employee stock purchase plans and equity compensation across the workforce.
