SpaceX files to go public, paving way for record stock offering

Elon Musk's SpaceX has confidentially filed papers with US regulators, preparing for what could be the largest public stock offering in history, potentially valued at $75 billion or more. This move, reported by AFP and The Wall Street Journal, is expected to culminate in a public listing by July, potentially elevating SpaceX's valuation beyond $1.75 trillion and placing it among the world's largest companies by market capitalization. The IPO follows SpaceX's acquisition of xAI in early February, integrating the AI outfit into its operations. Analysts like Steve Sosnick of Interactive Brokers and Matthew Kennedy of Renaissance Capital believe that investor enthusiasm for Musk's space exploration and artificial intelligence ambitions will enable SpaceX to successfully raise the massive capital, even in a volatile market. The public offering will necessitate increased transparency for SpaceX and Musk, potentially shifting focus towards profitability over long-term projects such as the Mars mission. The filing is expected to detail SpaceX's operations, including its satellite and rocket manufacturing, alongside its AI arm. A key ambition highlighted is Musk's plan to leverage SpaceX rockets to deploy solar-powered, satellite-based data centers designed to run future AI models. Additionally, AI developers OpenAI and Anthropic are reportedly also planning IPOs this year.