In December 2024, SpaceX launched a tender offer at $135 per share, valuing the company at over $250 billion. Shortly after, reports suggested a potential $350 billion valuation in a future tender offer. This surge reflects growing investor confidence in SpaceX’s dominance in the space industry. Fidelity’s Contrafund valued its stake in SpaceX at $2.7 billion, making it a major holding. However, a Starship explosion in January 2025 led to an FAA investigation and a temporary halt in launches. Despite setbacks, SpaceX’s valuation remains strong, highlighting continued market optimism.
SpaceX’s Recent Tender Offer and Valuation Surge
SpaceX has nearly doubled its valuation in less than a year, to $350 billion, as the company announced a tender offer that includes a buyback of up to $500 million worth of common stock directly by SpaceX, according to Bloomberg.
Since he used his wealth to help Donald Trump win the US presidential election, Musk’s personal fortune—the largest in the world—has skyrocketed. The CEO of Tesla was estimated to be worth $264 billion the day after the election, and a significant portion of that amount came from his 13% ownership of the electric vehicle manufacturer. Bloomberg reports that Musk’s current net worth is $384 billion.
This is a huge 67% increase from SpaceX’s previous valuation of $210 billion six months ago, and if it is finalised, it would position SpaceX as a prime candidate for a lucrative initial public offering, a move Musk has repeatedly ruled out.
The current valuation is based on a price per share of $185, which is two-thirds higher than the $112 per share price in SpaceX’s last stock purchase round less than three months ago.
How SpaceX Makes Money
SpaceX has revolutionized the space industry with cost-efficient, reusable rockets, securing a dominant position through innovation and strategic partnerships. Founded by Elon Musk in 2002 with capital from previous ventures like PayPal, SpaceX aimed to lower space access costs and make interplanetary travel feasible.
Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Starship, and Starlink, a satellite-based internet service with millions of users, are important items. The company’s cost effectiveness, vertical integration, and solid government contracts provide it an advantage over rivals Blue Origin and ULA.
SpaceX makes money from government contracts, satellite launches, and Starlink subscriptions. Starlink’s potential is a major factor in the company’s $140 billion valuation. Space debris, geopolitical instability, and striking a balance between lofty objectives and long-term company viability are among the risks.
Notwithstanding obstacles, SpaceX is well-positioned for future expansion thanks to its history of execution, innovation, and hiring top talent. To evaluate private businesses like SpaceX, analysts and investors use comprehensive market research, venture capital research, and valuation databases like Crunchbase. Assessing its future potential requires an understanding of its competitive advantage, market positioning, and business model. SpaceX’s long-term performance will be significantly influenced by Starlink’s profitability, which will further solidify its position as a pioneer in space exploration and technology.
Impact on Elon Musk’s Net Worth
For the first time in 2025, Elon Musk’s net worth has fallen below $400 billion after losing around $90 billion in less than two months as a result of Tesla’s precipitous stock slump. Musk’s wealth has been severely impacted by Tesla’s problems after it touched a record high of $486.4 billion in December, driven by SpaceX’s $350 billion valuation and investor faith in Musk’s clout in Donald Trump’s inner circle.
Due to dwindling demand, Musk’s political troubles, and its first year-over-year sales decline in more than ten years—selling 20,000 fewer cars in 2024—the company’s stock has fallen 27%. China’s BYD, which sells more reasonably priced EVs and boasts cutting-edge AI driving technology that Tesla has not yet implemented because of regulatory obstacles, is becoming a bigger competitor to Tesla.