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SpaceX IPO Makes Thousands of Employees Millionaires

WireByte Staff · July 9, 2026

Elon Musk's SpaceX has made an estimated 4,400 employees millionaires and over 400 centimillionaires through a policy of granting stock options to staff, but shares have already fallen from a peak of over $200 to below $148, leaving much of the wealth on paper.

Key points

  • SpaceX's record IPO has made an estimated 4,400 employees millionaires and over 400 centimillionaires through stock options.
  • Elon Musk said this was a deliberate policy to let staff share the upside and align incentives.
  • The shares have already fallen from a peak of over $200 to below $148, leaving much of the wealth on paper.
  • Elon Musk retains 82% voting control over SpaceX despite the stock distribution.

Elon Musk's SpaceX has made headlines with its record IPO, but the impact goes beyond the company's financials. An estimated 4,400 employees have become millionaires and over 400 centimillionaires through a policy of granting stock options to staff. This move is seen as a deliberate attempt by Musk to align incentives and let staff share in the company's success.

The numbers behind the claim are large, with one pre-IPO trading platform estimating the offering would mint about 4,400 new millionaires and more than 400 centimillionaires. However, the shares have already fallen from a peak of over $200 to below $148, leaving much of the wealth on paper.

Despite this, Elon Musk retains 82% voting control over SpaceX, giving him significant influence over the company's direction. The move has sparked debate over the impact of stock options on employee wealth and the long-term sustainability of the company's financials.

Sources

WireByte Staff — Editorial Team

The WireByte editorial team synthesises technology news from multiple primary sources, verifies the facts, and links every source. Articles are produced with AI assistance and reviewed under our editorial policy.