Starlink IPO: everything you need to know
How to trade on Starlink shares
There’s speculation that Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite communications business, is eyeing an initial public offering, which could happen at any time within the next couple of years. Find out everything you need to know about the SpaceX spin-off, Starlink’s potential IPO and how you can get involved with Starlink shares.
2026 - Starlink's projected IPO date
$227.5 - Starlink's estimated valuation
What is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite constellation that provides internet access to most of the Earth, run by Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX. It is a network of over 8 thousand active satellites that delivers high-speed service anywhere on the planet.
Starlink has secured regulatory approval in the UK, Australia, Greece and Germany so far, and as of late 2025, it has over 8 million active users globally.
When is Starlink’s IPO date?
As of November 2025, Starlink hasn’t yet released an official date. CEO Elon Musk first announced plans for an IPO in February 2020, and in 2022, he told SpaceX employees that it wasn’t likely to occur until 2025 or later.
More recently, in May 2025, Musk told Bloomberg that Starlink would have an IPO “when its cash flow is more predictable.” As of right now Starlink IPO isn’t expected until the end of 2026.
What is Starlink’s valuation?
There is considerable speculation around Starlink’s valuation, and most analysts agree that Starlink makes up the majority of its parent company’s value.
According to a recent Bloomberg broadcast, SpaceX is valued at $350bn, and Starlink could account for about 65%, or $227.5bn (although exact figures vary depending on the analyst model used).
As of November 2025, SpaceX has raised $11.9bn across 30 VC funding rounds. The latest primary funding round took place in January 2023 and raised $750 million at a $137bn valuation.
How to trade on Starlink’s IPO
1. Register
Trade CFDs on Starlink’s upcoming listing.
2. Pick a trading strategy
Decide whether to buy (go long) if you think Starlink will increase in value or sell (go short) if you think it will decrease.
3. Read our risk-management guide
Find out how to combat stock market risk by placing stop-loss and take-profit orders on open positions.
4. Practice while you wait
Trade on other popular industry CFDs on your virtual demo account to solidify your knowledge of the space market.
An overview of Starlink’s financials
Starlink has grown rapidly since its launch. Early reports suggested that building the satellite network cost approximately $10bn. In 2024, it was estimated to have generated roughly $7.7 billion in revenue, with forecasts of about $11.8 billion in 2025, although exact figures are not publicly verified.
To date, SpaceX has launched over 10,000 Starlink satellites, and as of October 2025, 8,811 were active and 8,795 functional. The long-term goal is to reach 42,000 satellites once the project is complete, providing global internet coverage.
The main reason why Starlink’s growth has attracted attention is that it’s turning a previously high-cost project into a cash-generating business, with positive free cash flow reported by analysts.
However, without official company reports, there’s no way to verify the exact revenue or profit. We’ll have to wait until closer to the IPO date for Starlink’s financials to be shared in more detail.
Why may investors be interested in Starlink?
Nowadays, Starlink is one of the most commercially significant private space ventures, with a constellation of thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit.
Over the years, Starlink has received favourable attention from governmental agencies, winning contracts with NASA and the US Department of Defence, as well as millions in subsidies from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to bring high-speed internet to rural areas of the US.
More recently, SpaceX’s spectrum deal and partnership activity with EchoStar have strengthened its ability to roll out Direct-to-Cell services, which would allow standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites and, as a result, greatly expand Starlink’s addressable market.
It’s this fast, global expansion, growing customer base (across residential, enterprise, and government sectors), and strong long-term revenue potential that help explain why the company has drawn significant investor interest.
What are some potential challenges for Starlink?
Despite its rapid growth, Starlink isn’t without its risks:
Increasing competition.
Thanks to 5G advancements offering gigabit-speed internet over a wide area, the space technology sector is becoming extremely competitive. To stay ahead, Starlink needs to keep its services attractive, relevant, and reasonably priced.Performance and operational risks.
Service quality can vary depending on satellite density, ground station coverage, and congestion. Brief disruptions caused by satellite handovers may affect real-time applications like streaming and video calls.Environmental and regulatory scrutiny.
Satellite constellations come with external risks, like the possibility of collisions and causing light pollution in the night sky. Starlink is mitigating these by lowering the altitude of its satellites and changing the surface material of its products, but the risk remains.Cost pressures.
Maintaining and replacing a mega-constellation requires ongoing capital investment, which can come with long-term profitability challenges.
Who are Starlink/SpaceX’s competitors?
The space field is very competitive right now, so there’s a lot of pressure for Starlink and its parent company to perform.
In particular, the low earth orbit (LEO) satellite industry is quite niche, so the companies that would pose the most threat to Starlink would be:
Amazon Leo (formerly Project Kuiper)
Microsoft’s Azure Orbital
OneWeb
ViaSat [VSAT]
Boeing [BA]
Globalstar [GSAT]
Iridium [IRDM]
EchoStar [SATS]
The space sector is expanding quickly, so the best thing investors can do is keep a close eye on news and developments, not only on Starlink but also on its competitors and the wider space market.
As for the Starlink IPO, uncertainty remains. There’s no guarantee of a near-term IPO, and the timing is still unclear, so investors should consider their risk appetite carefully and stay informed in the meantime.
