SpaceX Soars 19% in Nasdaq Debut, Secures Fast-Track Index Inclusion From FTSE and MSCI
SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) closed its first day of trading up 19% on Friday, after opening at around $150 — an 11% premium to its IPO price — and briefly pushing its market capitalization above $2.2 trillion. The rocket manufacturing company, led by Elon Musk, drew massive retail and institutional interest from the moment it hit the Nasdaq.
By the end of the session, FTSE Russell and MSCI had both announced that SpaceX would be fast-tracked into their flagship indexes, a move that analysts say will funnel billions of dollars in passive fund flows into the stock over the coming weeks.
FTSE Russell issued a formal index notice on Friday confirming SpaceX’s immediate addition to the Russell US Index Series under its fast-entry rules. The company will be added to the Russell 1000, Russell Top 200, and other Russell US indexes effective after the close on June 26, 2026. The decision follows FTSE Russell’s rule change in May 2026, which allows large new listings that qualify for the Russell Top 500 to enter indexes after just five trading days rather than waiting for the next quarterly reconstitution.
MSCI also confirmed it will add SpaceX to its standard and large-cap indexes, effective June 29, aligning with its earlier signal that the company would easily meet size and free-float thresholds for early IPO inclusion.
The coordinated moves highlight how index providers are adapting to the growing scale of mega-cap IPOs. But they also underscore a sharp divide in the indexing world: S&P Dow Jones Indices has ruled out adding SpaceX to the S&P 500, maintaining its requirements for four consecutive quarters of GAAP profitability and a longer seasoning period — criteria SpaceX does not yet meet.
SpaceX is nonetheless expected to qualify for the Nasdaq-100, where newly listed companies ranked among the top 40 by market capitalization can join after just 15 trading days under updated rules.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around SPCX remained in the ‘extremely bullish’ zone, with message volume surging to ‘extremely high’ levels. The excitement comes as Robinhood reported trading issues due to overwhelming demand for SpaceX shares earlier in the week.
For investors tracking index funds, the immediate inclusion means that trillions of dollars in passive strategies will be forced to buy SPCX shares in the coming days, potentially providing a further tailwind for the stock. However, the exclusion from the S&P 500 could cap some institutional demand, keeping a lid on long-term comparisons with traditional blue chips.
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