Today is the day for the SpaceX IPO.
SpaceX begins trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX, priced at US$135 per share implying a valuation of approximately US$1.75 trillion.
That surpasses Saudi Aramco’s 2019 listing as the largest IPO in stock market history.
Australian investors cannot buy SPCX directly on the ASX.
But two ASX-listed stocks are already moving in direct response to today’s listing, and both deserve consideration from ASX investors.
Why the SpaceX IPO matters for ASX investors
SpaceX is not just a rocket company.
It’s Starlink connectivity segment generated US$11.4 billion in revenue in 2025, delivering US$4.4 billion in operating income. This represents year-on-year growth of 49.8% and 120.4% respectively.
Starlink serves 10.3 million subscribers across 164 countries as at 31 March 2026, up from just 2.3 million in 2023.
The IPO validates the commercial space economy for ASX investors.
Near-term index mechanics add a further dimension to the story. SpaceX is expected to be fast-tracked into the Nasdaq-100 as early as 15 trading days post-listing.
This would force index-tracking funds to buy SpaceX mechanically and generate an estimated US$22 billion to US$27 billion in additional buying pressure across index trackers.
That wave of forced buying will keep the space economy in the spotlight for weeks.
Betashares Space Industry ETF (ASX: RCKT)
The Betashares Space Industry ETF is the most direct ASX play on today’s listing.
Betashares Space Industry ETF tracks the Solactive Space Industry Index, holding 28 companies across the global space economy with Rocket Lab and AST SpaceMobile as its two largest positions.
Betashares Space Industry ETF launched on the ASX on 12 May 2026 at $14 per unit and has had a wild ride as SpaceX IPO anticipation built throughout May and June.
SpaceX will need to meet index inclusion criteria before Betashares Space Industry ETF can formally hold SpaceX, a process that typically takes several months.
In the meantime, Betashares Space Industry ETF remains the most liquid and accessible ASX way to participate in today’s historic event.
The underlying Solactive Space Industry Index returned 249% over the twelve months to 31 May 2026.
Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)
Electro Optic Systems offers a different and more direct angle on the SpaceX story.
The company operates a dedicated Space Systems division that provides laser tracking and communications technology for satellite operators globally.
SpaceX has filed applications to deploy up to 42,000 Starlink satellites in total. This means that the constellation will require increasingly sophisticated ground-based tracking and communications infrastructure as the satellite count grows.
Electro Optic Systems is one of the very few companies in the world capable of providing that precision ground infrastructure.
Electro Optic Systems chair Garry Hounsell confirmed at the AGM that 60% to 80% of its $726 million order book is expected to convert to revenue in 2026 and 2027. This has removed the execution uncertainty that had previously weighed on the stock.
The index inclusion wildcard
One of the most underappreciated dimensions of today’s SpaceX listing is its potential impact on the Nasdaq-100.
If SpaceX is included, every fund tracking the Nasdaq-100, including the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ), would need to buy SpaceX shares mechanically.
Nsdaq 100 ETF is one of the most widely held ASX ETFs among Australian retail investors, meaning holders of Nasdaq 100 could gain indirect SpaceX exposure without doing anything at all.
Foolish takeaway
The SpaceX IPO will be live today.
However, Australian investors cannot buy SpaceX on the ASX today. Yet Betashares Space Industry ETF and Electro Optic Systems each offer a distinct way to participate in the moment that commercial space investing went mainstream.
For long-term investors who believe the space economy has decades of growth ahead, both deserve serious attention.
The post SpaceX starts trading today. Here’s what ASX investors need to know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
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Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven has positions in the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Electro Optic Systems. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.