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Musk becomes world’s first trillionaire as SpaceX shares soar

By AFP
June 13, 2026
Space X CEO, electric car manufacturer Tesla and social media platform X owner Elon Musk gestures as he attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France on June 16, 2023. — Reuters
Space X CEO, electric car manufacturer Tesla and social media platform X owner Elon Musk gestures as he attends the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre in Paris, France on June 16, 2023. — Reuters

NEW YORK: Shares in Elon Musk’s SpaceX closed almost 20 percent higher on their trading debut Friday after the biggest IPO in history, making the polarizing entrepreneur the world’s first trillionaire as he vowed to take humanity to Mars.

The blockbuster initial public offering, which raised more than $75 billion, is expected to kick off a series of major IPOs by AI companies in the coming months.

The debut on the Nasdaq exchange in New York capped weeks of investor frenzy over the rocket company turned AI and satellite conglomerate.

The stock climbed as high as $176, or 31 percent above its offering price of $135, in its first session before ending the day at $161.50.