ARK Invest funds positioned for potential SpaceX allocation ahead of IPO
The ARK Innovation, Space & Defense, and Next Generation Internet ETFs align with SpaceX’s disruptive innovation, reusable technology, and Starlink broadband services.
With SpaceX’s initial public offering anticipated next week, analysis indicates that three exchange-traded funds managed by Cathie Wood’s ARK Invest are well-positioned to invest in the rocket company. The funds identified as likely candidates are the ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK), the ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF (ARKX), and the ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (ARKW). This potential allocation stems from SpaceX’s strong alignment with the investment themes of disruptive innovation, reusable space technology, and internet-based services.
The ARK Innovation ETF, which focuses on disruptive innovation, is viewed as a primary candidate due to SpaceX’s leading position in launch services and its significant involvement in artificial intelligence. The company’s AI segment, encompassing xAI, Grok, and X, generated $3.2 billion in revenue in 2025. The ARK Innovation ETF currently holds $6.5 billion in net assets and carries an expense ratio of 0.75 per cent.
Dedicated to advancing the space economy, the ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF is also expected to add SpaceX to its portfolio upon the company’s public listing. The fund targets reusable rocket technology, a sector where SpaceX has achieved significant milestones with its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. Rocket Lab currently holds the second-largest weighting in the ARK Space & Defense Innovation ETF, which has $893 million in net assets and an expense ratio of 0.75 per cent.
Although the ARK Next Generation Internet ETF may not immediately appear to be a fit for a rocket manufacturer, the fund is likely to invest in SpaceX due to its Starlink broadband service. Starlink is designed to provide low-latency internet connectivity worldwide and has seen substantial growth, with subscriber numbers increasing from 2.3 million in 2023 to 8.9 million in 2025. The fund focuses on companies that rely on or benefit from internet-based products and services, managing approximately $1.7 billion in net assets with an expense ratio of 0.76 per cent.
SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, remains a private company known for its launch services and reusable rocket technology. While there is no guarantee that these ARK Invest funds will purchase SpaceX stock, the structural alignment between the company’s business model and the funds’ investment mandates makes a potential investment highly probable. Investors seeking exposure to SpaceX through these vehicles would be accessing funds with varying focuses on innovation, space infrastructure, and digital connectivity.
