How Brits can buy shares in SpaceX
SpaceX, Elon Musk’s revolutionary space exploration and satellite internet giant, remains one of the most talked-about private companies in the world.
With recent developments, including its acquisition of xAI in early February 2026, valuing the combined entity at around $1.25 trillion, and ongoing speculation about a potential initial public offering (IPO) as early as mid-June 2026 at an eye-watering $1.5 trillion valuation, British investors are understandably eager to get a piece of the action.
At present, SpaceX is still a private company. That means ordinary retail investors in the UK, and indeed most places, cannot directly buy its shares through a standard stockbroker or trading app right now.
US regulations also block UK investors from participating in any US-based IPO allocations for new issues on Wall Street. If and when SpaceX does go public, Brits would likely have to wait until shares start trading on the secondary market to snap them up via platforms like Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell, Interactive Investor, or IG.
Indirect routes to invest in SpaceX
In the meantime, savvy UK investors have solid indirect routes to gain exposure to SpaceX’s growth, and several are readily available on the London Stock Exchange.
An analysis by AJ Bell shows that the most popular and accessible options come from UK-listed investment trusts managed by Baillie Gifford, which have built significant stakes in the rocket pioneer. These closed-end funds trade like ordinary shares and can be bought through most UK investment platforms or ISAs.
Key trusts with hefty SpaceX allocations include:
- Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust (SMT) – SpaceX accounts for around 15.2% of the portfolio, making it one of the trust’s largest holdings.
- Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust (EWI) – With SpaceX representing about 16% of assets.
- Baillie Gifford US Growth Trust (USA) – SpaceX makes up roughly 11.4%.
- The Schiehallion Fund (MNTN) – Holding around 13.8% in SpaceX.
These trusts have seen their net asset values boosted in recent months thanks to upward revaluations of their SpaceX positions, reflecting the company’s soaring private market valuation (around $800 billion in late 2025 secondary sales).
Investing via these vehicles isn’t pure-play SpaceX, performance will depend on the trusts’ broader holdings in tech, growth, and other private companies, but they offer one of the easiest and most tax-efficient ways for Brits to ride the SpaceX wave through an ISA or SIPP.
A word of warning
As with all investments, private company stakes carry risks: valuations can be volatile, liquidity is lower than public stocks, and any IPO delay could impact sentiment.
Still, with Starlink’s satellite broadband expansion driving revenue and Musk’s ambitions for Mars and beyond, interest remains sky-high.
For those monitoring developments, platforms like AJ Bell provide IPO alerts, and keeping an eye on official announcements from SpaceX could signal when direct shares become available.
This article is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendation, or an invitation to buy or sell any securities. SpaceX is a private company and its shares are not publicly traded on any stock exchange at the time of writing.
Any references to valuations, potential IPO timelines, or holdings in investment trusts are based on publicly available information and market commentary as of February 2025/2026 and may change rapidly or prove inaccurate. Investing in investment trusts, private company stakes, or growth-oriented funds involves significant risk, including the potential loss of capital.
The value of investments and any income from them can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you originally invested. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
