Worried about missing out on the SpaceX IPO? 

Worried about missing out on the SpaceX IPO?

Here are four other ways to get exposure before it lists

A potential SpaceX listing is one of the most anticipated market moments of the decade. While there’s still no confirmed IPO timeline, investors don’t have to wait on the sidelines.

There are already several ways to gain exposure, whether indirectly through public markets or more directly via pre-IPO pricing.

Chris Beauchamp, Chief Market Analyst, IG suggests investors can:

Invest via funds that already hold SpaceX

One of the simplest routes is through investment trusts that have built positions in private companies. Names like Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust have previously held stakes in SpaceX as part of their strategy to back high-growth, unlisted firms.

Buying shares in these trusts offers indirect exposure to SpaceX, alongside a broader portfolio of innovative companies. The trade-off is that SpaceX is just one component, so its impact on returns is diluted.

Buy companies with a stake in SpaceX

Another route is through listed companies that have invested in SpaceX. Alphabet, for example, holds a stake worth around $900 million. While relatively small in the context of Alphabet’s overall business, it still provides a way for investors to gain some exposure to SpaceX’s growth, while also benefiting from the performance of one of the world’s largest tech companies.

Look at firms tied to the space economy

Beyond direct exposure, investors can also consider companies that are closely linked to the broader space ecosystem. Defence and aerospace giants like Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are involved in supplying technology and infrastructure that supports space exploration.

Meanwhile, satellite and imaging companies such as Maxar Technologies and Teledyne Technologies offer more targeted exposure to the commercialisation of space. While these businesses are not tied exclusively to SpaceX, their fortunes are increasingly linked to the sector’s growth.

Trade pre-IPO expectations with IG’s grey market

For sophisticated investors looking for a more direct angle, IG’s grey market offers a way to take a position on how a company could be valued when it eventually lists. Rather than buying shares, this allows investors to trade on what they think the market capitalisation of a company like SpaceX might be at the end of its first day of trading.

It’s a way of expressing a view on the IPO before it happens, without needing to access private markets or wait for shares to become publicly available. This approach is more speculative and focuses purely on pricing expectations, but it provides a unique route for investors who want exposure specifically to the IPO moment itself.

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