ARK Invest incorporates SpaceX into three ETFs after its historic stock market debut
1 JUL, 2026
By Joanna Piwko from RankiaPro Europe
Three actively managed UCITS ETFs by ARK Invest participated in the initial public offering of SpaceX, which debuted on the Nasdaq on June 12, 2026 with a target price of 135 dollars per share and an approximate valuation of 1.75 trillion dollars.
With this operation, the aerospace company surpasses the stock market debut of Saudi Aramco in 2019 and signs the largest IPO in history.
SpaceX gains weight in three ARK ETFs in Europe
The presence of SpaceX in ARK's European portfolios reflects a conviction built over years. At the market close of June 12, 2026, the company was distributed among three active UCITS ETFs of the manager with the following weights on the official net asset value of each vehicle:
- 7.97% in the ARK Space & Defence Innovation UCITS ETF (ARKX).
- 4.13% in the ARK Innovation UCITS ETF (ARKK).
- 3.23% in the ARK Artificial Intelligence & Robotics UCITS ETF (ARKI).
ARK emphasizes that these weights are subject to change and that the complete daily composition of each UCITS ETF can be consulted on its European website. In Spain, ARK Investment Management products are exclusively distributed through Capital Strategies Partners.
The entry of SpaceX into these funds is also the result of a long-standing relationship between the manager and the company. ARK points out that its link with SpaceX dates back to 2014 and that, since the launch of its private markets business in 2023, it has completed nine different operations in the company. This track record, according to the firm, has allowed it to develop a deep understanding of SpaceX's business model, its capital structure, the evolution of its cost curve, and the strategic value of Starlink and the integration of xAI.
The IPO strengthens the argument for active management
The operation also serves ARK to defend the advantages of active management in major stock market debuts. The firm emphasizes that, not being subject to index replication, it was able to attend the public offering and build positions from the first day of trading, adjusting the weight of each stake based on a conviction built on years of prior analysis in the private market.
In contrast, many passive UCITS ETFs that replicate indices face greater restrictions. ARK recalls that the Nasdaq's "Fast Entry" rule, introduced in March 2026, prevents megacap IPOs from entering the Nasdaq-100 until at least 15 business days after their debut. In practice, this would delay the inclusion of SpaceX in indexed funds until at least early July 2026, forcing these vehicles to buy later at the market price at that time.
ARK Invest, a firm founded by Cathie Wood, launched its private assets business in 2022 and currently manages around 2 billion dollars in this segment. The firm values that the same investment team and its open research model cover both strategies in private and public markets, which, in their opinion, has facilitated the transfer of accumulated knowledge in private transactions to the evaluation, sizing and execution of their participation in SpaceX's IPO.
Since 2023, we have invested in SpaceX through nine operations in the private market because we believe it is at the forefront of one of the most important technological transformations in history, building fundamental infrastructures for the future of connectivity, intelligence and economic activity. At ARK, our research focuses on identifying disruptive innovation before it is widely understood. Our investment team evaluates both private and listed companies using the same research framework, analyzing the convergence of technologies on platforms such as space, artificial intelligence and advanced infrastructures. This perspective has allowed us to approach this IPO with the conviction forged over years of research, iteration and commitment, and not by the short-term enthusiasm of the market.
We believe that the most effective active managers are those willing to look beyond benchmark indices, question general opinions, and allocate capital to opportunities with the potential to grow exponentially as innovation progresses. As technological change continues to accelerate, we believe that this research-based approach will become increasingly important for investors looking to capitalize on the value created by disruptive innovation.
Cathie Wood, founder, CEO and CIO of ARK Invest
