SpaceX Poised to Overtake OpenAI as America’s Most Valuable Private Firm
- Chalani Himasha
- 2 hours ago
- 1 min read
Himasha Dissanayake, JadeTimes Staff
H. Dissanayake is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Technology
SpaceX — the aerospace firm led by Elon Musk appears set to become the most valuable privately held company in the United States, according to recent reports. The company is launching a new secondary share sale that could bring its valuation to US $800 billion, potentially eclipsing OpenAI — the creator of the popular AI system ChatGPT — which had previously held the top spot.
The proposed sale would double SpaceX’s prior valuation of around $400 billion, achieved just months ago. The driving forces behind this aggressive re-valuation are twofold: SpaceX’s dominance in launch services for both commercial satellites and government missions, and the remarkable growth of its satellite-internet business Starlink, which already has millions of active users worldwide.
Backers of the move note that a jump to an $800 billion valuation would send a strong signal about investor confidence in space infrastructure — a sector traditionally separate from high-value tech. The approach relies on a “secondary share sale,” meaning existing shareholders (employees, early backers) would sell stakes, rather than the company raising new capital.
SpaceX is also reportedly eyeing a public offering (IPO), potentially in 2026, depending on market conditions and regulatory dynamics. If the share sale succeeds and valuations hold up, the company could enter public markets with one of the highest valuations ever seen for a tech-era firm.
Still, some analysts urge caution the $800 billion figure remains speculative until the share sale actually closes at that level. If valuations drop or demand softens, OpenAI or other contenders could reclaim the top private-company spot.
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