With SpaceX reportedly targeting a massive $1.75 trillion to $2 trillion valuation for its upcoming June 2026 IPO, retail FOMO (fear of missing out) is reaching a fever pitch. While the general public is waiting for the official Nasdaq listing, a group of VIPs and savvy retail investors claim they already have skin in the game.

From rapper 2 Chainz to financier Anthony Scaramucci, "early" investors are flexing their positions. Here is how they—and about 150 listeners of the Rich Habits podcast—managed to jump the line, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

For most, buying into a private company like SpaceX is impossible because Elon Musk's firm typically limits its shareholder list to employees and major institutions. Enter the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV).

An SPV is a separate legal entity created specifically to buy and hold private equity. By pooling money from multiple smaller investors, the SPV appears as a single "person" on SpaceX’s cap table, making it easier to gain company approval for the trade.

While SPVs offer a backdoor into the world’s most valuable private company, they come with significant "layers" of risk:

The Chain of Middlemen: Many SPVs don't buy shares directly from SpaceX. Instead, they buy from other SPVs. This creates a "murky" chain where investors may be several degrees of separation away from the actual stock.

High Fees: These deals aren't cheap. Some SpaceX-focused SPVs carry a 6% upfront fee plus 20% "carried interest" (a cut of any future profits).

Fraud Risks: The lack of transparency in private markets has already led to legal trouble. In one case, an entity called Vika Ventures allegedly took $5.9 million from investors promising SpaceX shares, only for the founder to spend the money on luxury watches and private jets.

SpaceX CFO Bret Johnsen has hinted that the upcoming IPO will be the most "retail-friendly" in history, potentially reserving up to 30% of shares for everyday investors.

While influencers and celebrities may brag about their pre-IPO stakes, the reality for the average investor is that SPVs often eat into potential gains through high fees and complex structures. With the official "Project Apex" IPO just weeks away, waiting for the public debut might be the safer—and more transparent—play.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada