Updated Jun 13, 2026 – 7.13am, first published at 7.08amAfter the Nasdaq opening bell rang for the record-breaking initial public offering of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the live feed played Elton John’s hit song Rocket Man. And amid the hype and hoopla, the world’s first trillionaire looked emotional, if only for a moment.As the broadcast on Friday (Saturday AEST) flipped between three of the space travel and artificial intelligence company’s locations, staff were shown bouncing and grinning as if they had just won the lottery – and, in effect, the thousands allowed to sell their vested stock options or other early-stage equity had.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Jessica GardnerUnited States correspondentJessica Gardner is The Australian Financial Review’s United States correspondent. She was previously deputy editor - news.Fetching latest articles
Musk, the trillionaire rocket man villain, has his moment
He’s a polarising figure and his extraordinary new wealth won’t help. But Elon Musk deserves his moment in the sun to remind us what a unique entrepreneur he is.
SpaceX IPO made Elon Musk the first trillionaire; employees unlocked significant equity gains. Validates space-AI as investable deep tech category and sets valuation precedent for founder-led ventures, reshaping CTO/founder recruitment playbooks.










