The spectacular debut of SpaceX on the public markets has reignited a familiar investor question: Is it too late to buy?
Many investors who hoped to secure shares at the company’s initial public offering (IPO) price of $135 were left on the sidelines as demand far exceeded supply. By the end of its first trading day, SpaceX stock had surged nearly 20%, closing at $160.95.
While some may view the sharp rise as a missed opportunity, history suggests that the first day of trading rarely determines a company’s long-term investment potential.
The Tesla Blueprint
When evaluating SpaceX’s future, investors naturally look to another Elon Musk-led company: Tesla.
Tesla went public on June 29, 2010, at $17 per share and gained 41% on its first day of trading. Investors who missed the IPO and bought at the closing price of $23.89 may have initially questioned their decision.
After one year, Tesla had returned 18%, trailing the S&P 500’s 28% gain. Two years later, Tesla investors were still behind the broader market.
But over the next several years, Tesla transformed from an electric-vehicle manufacturer into one of the world’s most influential technology companies. Investors who held the stock for five years enjoyed returns approaching 1,000%, vastly outperforming the S&P 500.
The lesson is simple: extraordinary companies often reward patience more than perfect timing.
What Makes SpaceX Different?
SpaceX is not just a space exploration company. Its business spans satellite communications, launch services, defense contracts, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and data-center operations.
This diversity is one reason many analysts believe SpaceX could become one of the defining technology companies of the next decade.
Nancy Tengler, CEO of Laffer Tengler Investments, believes a better comparison for SpaceX may be Amazon rather than Tesla.
Amazon fundamentally changed how people shop, communicate, and consume digital services. The key question for investors, Tengler argues, is not whether the stock will experience short-term volatility, but whether they believe in the company’s long-term technological vision.
For investors with a three-, five-, seven-, or even ten-year horizon, short-term price swings may ultimately prove insignificant.
The AI Opportunity May Be Bigger Than Rockets
Perhaps the most surprising investment thesis surrounding SpaceX today isn’t about space at all.
According to portfolio manager Nicholas Anderson of Thornburg Investment Management, SpaceX’s rapidly growing artificial-intelligence infrastructure business could become one of its most valuable assets.
Recent disclosures revealed major AI-related agreements with companies including Anthropic and Google, contracts that could potentially generate approximately $26 billion in annual revenue.
To put that into perspective, that figure would exceed twice the revenue generated by Starlink in 2025.
Anderson argues that if AI infrastructure margins resemble those of existing public cloud and computing providers, SpaceX’s GPU leasing and data-center operations may already represent its most profitable business segment.
The company’s Colossus AI facility in Memphis reportedly still has significant excess capacity, providing additional room for future growth.
If demand for AI computing continues to outpace supply, SpaceX’s terrestrial technology operations could become just as important as its aerospace ambitions.
Investors Should Expect Volatility
None of this means SpaceX is a risk-free investment.
The excitement surrounding the IPO has generated intense investor enthusiasm, and history shows that heavily anticipated public offerings often experience dramatic price swings during their first several years as public companies.
Analysts have already warned that SpaceX shares could exhibit “extreme” volatility. Like Tesla before it, the stock may frequently trade on investor sentiment and future expectations rather than traditional valuation metrics.
Investors driven by fear of missing out (FOMO) should proceed cautiously. Buying a great company at an unreasonable valuation can still lead to disappointing returns.
Beyond SpaceX: Other Trends Investors Are Watching
While SpaceX dominates headlines, investors are also monitoring several other major themes shaping markets in 2026.
Bitcoin’s Long-Term Potential
Bitcoin remains well below its historical highs, yet valuation models developed over the past decade continue to suggest meaningful long-term upside potential.
While cryptocurrency remains highly volatile, many analysts believe the current downturn could represent another phase in Bitcoin’s recurring market cycle.
The AI Arms Race
Artificial intelligence continues to drive investment across the technology sector.
Companies involved in optical networking, memory chips, cloud infrastructure, and semiconductor manufacturing are benefiting from unprecedented demand for AI-related hardware and services.
Major technology firms such as Apple, Amazon, Intel, and Micron are all positioning themselves to capitalize on the next wave of AI adoption.
Gold’s Pullback
Gold prices have retreated significantly from their early-2026 highs, entering what some analysts describe as a bear market.
Despite the decline, gold remains substantially higher than it was two years ago, highlighting the metal’s continued role as a long-term store of value and hedge against uncertainty.
Retirement Planning Challenges
Rising inflation and uncertainty around Social Security continue to force difficult decisions for retirees.
One of the most important choices involves determining when to begin claiming Social Security benefits. Waiting can substantially increase monthly payments, but the optimal decision depends heavily on personal health, financial resources, and retirement goals.
The Bottom Line
SpaceX’s IPO may be one of the most important public offerings of the decade.
For investors who missed the IPO allocation, the company’s first-day surge can feel frustrating. However, Tesla’s history demonstrates that exceptional businesses often create enormous value long after their initial public debut.
The real question isn’t whether investors can buy SpaceX at $135. It’s whether they believe the company can continue building industry-leading businesses across space technology, satellite communications, artificial intelligence, and data infrastructure over the next decade.
For long-term investors, that may be the only question that truly matters.
