The $1.75 Trillion Countdown: SpaceX Prepares for Liftoff

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly preparing to file its IPO prospectus with regulators as early as this week or next TipRanks. The company is aiming for a public listing as soon as June 2026, a timeline that could coincide with Musk’s birthday Financial Times. Internal targets suggest SpaceX hopes to raise $75 billion, a figure that would shatter the previous record of $29 billion held by Saudi Aramco Financial Times. The valuation is expected to reach $1.75 trillion, positioning it among the top five most valuable U.S. companies Business Insider.

This move follows the recent merger between SpaceX and Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI Time. The combined entity is leveraging high-speed growth in Starlink and launch services to attract institutional interest, though analysts warn that buying on day one may carry significant volatility risk TipRanks. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell confirmed the company is "gunning for 2028" for its Artemis IV lunar mission, which will utilize the Starship rockets currently under construction at the Starbase factory in Texas Time.

Robotaxi Wars: Europe Opens a New Front

While Tesla focuses on FSD deployment, a new triumvirate is claiming the first commercial robotaxi victory in Europe. Uber Technologies, Chinese autonomous firm Pony.ai, and Croatian startup Verne have announced a partnership to launch a commercial service in Zagreb Insurance Journal. The service will utilize Pony.ai’s Gen-7 autonomous driving system integrated into the Arcfox Alpha T5, a Chinese-manufactured electric SUV The Next Web. Uber has signaled its intent to invest in Verne as a strategic partner, with plans to scale the fleet to thousands of vehicles across European cities over the next few years MLQ.ai.

Verne, co-founded by Mate Rimac, is shifting its strategy to use Pony.ai's technology for the initial launch while it continues developing its own purpose-built two-seat autonomous pod MLQ.ai. This move allows Uber to integrate the service directly into its global ride-hailing platform, ensuring immediate access for its massive user base Automotive News. Pony.ai recently reported its first GAAP-level quarterly net profit, proving that the unit economics of autonomous fleets are beginning to flip toward profitability NAI500.

Autonomous Expansion: Zoox and GM Ramp Up Testing

Amazon’s Zoox is initiating its largest growth phase to date, expanding its autonomous ride-hailing operations to Austin and Miami The Robot Report. Zoox has already logged nearly 2 million autonomous miles and transported over 350,000 passengers in its purpose-built vehicles in Las Vegas and San Francisco The Robot Report. In Austin, Zoox has been testing since 2024 and will begin employee rides this week before opening the service to an "early rider program" later this year Fox 7 Austin.

Not to be outdone, General Motors has begun testing its "eyes-off" self-driving technology on highways in Michigan and California Chicago Tribune. GM has deployed 200 test vehicles with trained safety drivers to gather data for its 2028 launch of the premium, all-electric Cadillac Escalade IQ, which aims to operate safely even if the driver falls asleep Chicago Tribune. These developments underscore the intensifying competition Tesla faces as it aims to scale its own Cybercab fleet.

Market Watch

TSLA is currently trading at $379.45, holding steady after closing up +Infinity% in the previous session. The market is currently digesting the massive valuation implications of the SpaceX IPO, which has sent shockwaves through the aerospace and technology sectors. Other space-related stocks surged on the news, with Firefly Aerospace jumping 19% and Intuitive Machines rising 11% Business Insider. Analysts at TipRanks suggest that corporate boards are increasingly focusing on "people risk" and AI workforce disruption as these technologies move from pilot phases to core boardroom topics TipRanks.