Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX), led by CEO Elon Musk, officially entered the public Bitcoin leaderboard today as the 8th largest holder with 18,712 BTC. The disclosure coincided with the company’s launch of trading on the Nasdaq on June 12, 2026, under the ticker SPCX.
Information regarding the stash was first made public in an S-1 registration statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on May 20, 2026.
The filing revealed that the fair value of these holdings was approximately $1.29 billion as of March 31, 2026. However, by the time the S-1 was filed in late May, the value of the 18,712 BTC had risen to approximately $1.45 billion, based on prices just over $77,000.
This confirmed position is more than double previous private estimates from blockchain tracking firms, which had placed the company’s holdings as low as 6,095 BTC.
SpaceX reported a total cost basis of $661 million for its Bitcoin, implying an average acquisition price of approximately $35,320 to $35,324 per coin. While some observers previously speculated on a later entry date, research shows SpaceX has been holding Bitcoin since 2021. The company’s accumulation phase began in early 2021, mirroring the timeline of Tesla, another firm under the leadership of CEO Elon Musk.
Market context for the SpaceX Bitcoin disclosure
The disclosure surprised market participants as the confirmed figure significantly exceeded the 8,285 BTC estimate provided in the BitcoinTreasuries.net May 2026 Corporate Adoption Report. Reports indicate the reveal was the second-largest Bitcoin treasury disclosure of May, trailing only Strategy’s 25,404 BTC in monthly purchases. Morgan Stanley expands Bitcoin access for its clients as institutional interest in these balance-sheet allocations remains high.
SpaceX’s S-1 filing clarified that the company maintains ownership and control over its digital assets and utilizes third-party custodians. This long-term approach comes despite historical volatility, with the company reporting write-downs on its Bitcoin investments totaling $373 million across 2021 and 2022. Analysts at Grayscale noted that following the IPO, SpaceX is poised to become the most valuable public company holding Bitcoin by market capitalization.
The entry of SpaceX into the public rankings comes as Bitcoin chart signals point toward volatility in the broader crypto market. Although the aerospace firm now holds a substantial amount of digital currency, Strategy maintains its position as the largest public holder with over 843,000 BTC.
SpaceX currently slots in at rank #8, just behind Strive at 19,032 BTC and ahead of Coinbase Global at 16,492 BTC.
SpaceX IPO sets records on Nasdaq debut
SpaceX priced its shares at $135 on June 11, raising approximately $75 billion in what counts as the largest IPO in history. This debut surpasses Saudi Aramco’s $29 billion effort in 2019. Trading opened on the Nasdaq today at approximately $175 per share, roughly 30% above the initial IPO price. The company’s implied valuation sits between $1.75 trillion and $2 trillion following the launch.
A syndicate of major financial institutions managed the underwriting for the listing. The group included Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Citigroup, and JPMorgan. This massive influx of equity into the market occurs during a period where Bitcoin faces correction risk, with spot ETFs seeing $2.26 billion in outflows over the two weeks preceding the SpaceX debut.
The timing of the public listing also involves major index adjustments. MSCI announced on June 9 that it would include the ticker SPCX in its Global Standard Index effective June 13. This inclusion follows a period where CEO Elon Musk confirmed in July 2021 that SpaceX owned Bitcoin, though the specific size of the treasury remained undisclosed to the public for nearly five years.
Long term objectives and corporate strategy
With 18,712 BTC on the balance sheet, SpaceX holds considerably more than Tesla’s 11,509 BTC. The aerospace giant is currently pursuing a $28.5 trillion opportunity across artificial intelligence, space, and connectivity. Reports suggest the disclosure of such a large stash provided a unexpected data point to a market that was previously relying on lower private estimates.
Some market analysts have warned that simultaneous large-scale IPOs from entities like SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic could potentially drain liquidity from crypto markets. Investors may reallocate capital into these high-profile traditional equities, shifting the balance of available liquidity. However, the S-1 filing indicates that SpaceX expects to continue utilizing third-party custodians to manage its Bitcoin for the foreseeable future.
The 18,712 BTC position represents a significant portion of the public treasury growth reported in May. As the company transitions into the public eye, its digital asset strategy will be subject to the same regulatory scrutiny as its rocket launches. With the stock now active on the Nasdaq, the relationship between high-valuation tech firms and Bitcoin enters a new phase of transparency.