Starlink Hits 12 Million Subscribers Globally as SpaceX Accelerates Satellite Expansion
SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has officially surpassed 12 million active customers, spanning more than 160 countries and territories. The milestone marks a sharp acceleration from the 9 million users reported in the company’s 2025 Progress Report, reflecting a surge in global demand for broadband connectivity in underserved and remote regions.
SpaceX confirmed the figure via a post on X on June 4, 2026, as the network continues to expand its footprint at a record pace. In 2025 alone, Starlink activated over 35 new markets and added more than 4.6 million subscribers, according to internal data. Its direct-to-cell service also extended across six continents last year, signaling broader ambitions to compete with traditional mobile carriers.
The rapid growth comes as SpaceX prepares to launch its third-generation satellites later this year. Each new satellite is designed to deliver over 1 terabit per second (1,000+ Gbps) of downlink capacity and more than 200 Gbps of uplink capacity to users on the ground. That represents more than 10 times the downlink throughput and roughly 24 times the uplink capacity of the current second-generation satellites, potentially reshaping the competitive landscape for low-Earth orbit (LEO) broadband services.
Beyond Starlink, SpaceX’s artificial intelligence business is emerging as a significant growth driver, according to a Goldman Sachs forecast cited by the Financial Times. The investment bank projects SpaceX’s AI revenue will surge 388% to $15.6 billion in 2026, then more than double to $34.5 billion in 2027, before accelerating further to as much as $322 billion by 2030. Goldman also estimates SpaceX’s total revenue could climb from $18.7 billion in 2025 to $474 billion by 2030 — a roughly 25-fold increase — underpinned by Starlink’s scaling, launch services, and AI infrastructure.
Meanwhile, SpaceX has taken a notable step toward going public. In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday, the company disclosed plans to raise $75 billion through an initial public offering by offering 555.55 million shares at $135 each. Unlike the typical IPO process, SpaceX announced a fixed price ahead of its investor roadshow, a move that underscores strong demand and confidence in the company’s trajectory. At that pricing, SpaceX would be valued at approximately $1.75 trillion. The filing also indicated that CEO Elon Musk would retain about 82.4% of voting power following the Nasdaq listing.
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment around SPCX shifted to “extremely bullish” from “bullish” a day ago, with message volumes registering as “extremely high.” The upbeat mood reflects broader retail investor enthusiasm for SpaceX’s combined satellite, AI, and space launch narrative.
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Aveek Bhowmik has no position in any of the stocks mentioned in this article. StockTwits' news team content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. For more, see our editorial policy. This article was originally published on StockTwits.
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