Elon Musk’s SpaceX has taken a formal step toward a public listing by filing confidential paperwork for a U.S. initial public offering, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. The filing places the rocket-and-satellite company at the center of intensified speculation that 2026 may bring a wave of large, high-profile IPOs.
Market participants have been betting on a rebound in U.S. listings next year, driven by a pipeline of well-known private companies and what some describe as pent-up demand for new offerings. Investment banks have produced bullish estimates: Goldman Sachs projected earlier this year that proceeds from U.S. IPOs could reach a record $160 billion in 2026 if several marquee names proceed with public offerings.
At the same time, market observers caution that risks remain. The current environment features geopolitical uncertainty and ongoing structural disruptions that have been associated with elevated volatility across equities. Those factors are expected to continue influencing investor appetite and pricing for any large listings.
Companies in focus
- SpaceX - According to the report, SpaceX has confidentially filed for a U.S. IPO, laying groundwork for what could become one of the largest stock market flotations ever. In February, SpaceX completed an acquisition of xAI, the artificial-intelligence startup founded by Musk, in a deal described as record-setting. That transaction brought together the company that builds rockets and satellites with the maker of the Grok chatbot, aligning Musk’s AI and space ventures within a single corporate structure. The article notes that if SpaceX raises more than $25.6 billion in its offering, it would surpass the size of Saudi Aramco’s 2019 listing and become the world’s largest IPO on record.
- OpenAI - The ChatGPT developer has been reported to be preparing groundwork for a potential initial public offering that could command a valuation of up to $1 trillion, with filings possibly occurring in the second half of 2026. At the time of that reporting, OpenAI’s chief financial officer had stated an IPO was not in the company’s near-term plans.
- Anthropic - The company behind the Claude family of models retained law firm Wilson Sonsini to prepare for an IPO that could take place as early as 2026, according to reports. An Anthropic spokesperson, however, told Reuters that the company had not decided when or whether it would pursue a public listing.
Combined, these potential listings have spurred discussion across banks and institutional investors about the shape and scale of a revived IPO market. Projections hinge on whether these marquee firms move forward with public offerings and on broader market conditions that continue to show sensitivity to geopolitical and structural drivers.
Investors and market watchers will be closely monitoring subsequent filings, company disclosures, and the evolving macro backdrop to assess whether 2026 fulfills expectations as a breakout year for U.S. IPO activity.