Archive · 11 Jan 2026
SpaceX Unlikely to IPO, Reverse Merger with Tesla Predicted
Chamath Palihapitiya, a well-known investor, said on his podcast that SpaceX, the space company owned by Elon Musk, is not likely to have an IPO.
Instead, he thinks SpaceX will merge with Tesla, another company owned by Musk, in a way that avoids the usual IPO process.
This is called a reverse merger.
Palihapitiya believes Musk wants to combine his two big companies into one.
However, Musk has not commented on this idea.
Earlier, Musk said on Twitter that SpaceX might go public in 2026, and Bloomberg reported that this IPO could be worth more than $30 billion.
Palihapitiya had also predicted that Starlink, SpaceX's internet project, would go public in 2023, but that did not happen.
Palihapitiya's co-hosts on the podcast are friends with Musk, but Palihapitiya himself is not very close to Musk.
Chamath Palihapitiya predicts SpaceX will not go public via an IPO but through a reverse merger with Tesla.
Palihapitiya believes Elon Musk wants to consolidate control of SpaceX and Tesla into one cap table.
Musk has not commented on the likelihood of a reverse merger with Tesla.
Musk previously confirmed reports that SpaceX is planning an IPO for 2026, potentially raising over $30 billion.
Palihapitiya's earlier prediction that SpaceX's Starlink would go public in 2023 did not come true.
- Who
- Chamath Palihapitiya, Elon Musk, SpaceX, Tesla
- What
- Prediction of SpaceX not going public via IPO but through a reverse merger with Tesla
- When
- Prediction made on a podcast; Musk's IPO response in December 2023
- Where
- Podcast discussion; Musk's response on X (Twitter)
- Why
- Palihapitiya believes Musk will consolidate control and power of his two seminal assets into one cap table
- Predictor
- Chamath Palihapitiya
- Predicted Event
- Reverse merger with Tesla
- Alternative Event
- SpaceX IPO
- Reported IPO Timing
- 2026
- Reported IPO Value
- More than $30 billion