Key Takeaways
- Three tech giants, SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI, are reportedly eyeing a market debut in 2026, with potential debuts being referred to as some of the biggest ever to hit the market.
- SpaceX is allegedly eyeing a market debut as early as June, with expectations to raise more than $30 billion, while OpenAI and Anthropic’s potential public offerings are on less certain timelines.
- The IPOs could have a significant impact on the overall economy, with the potential to give the economy a bump and create a wealth effect.
- The AI sector has become central to the American economy, with Deutsche Bank researchers suggesting that it might single-handedly be saving the entire U.S. economy.
- The market may finally get a major pure-play AI stock with the potential IPOs of OpenAI and Anthropic, which could provide insight into the future of AI demand growth and profitability.
Introduction to the Tech IPOs
2026 is already looking to be a special year for the tech industry, as the AI-loving market braces for three major tech IPOs. Three tech giants, SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI, are reportedly eyeing a market debut this year, with the potential debuts being referred to as some of the biggest ever to hit the market. According to University of Florida emeritus professor and IPO expert Jay Ritter, "There have only been a small number worldwide that have raised more than $20 billion but, but it’s entirely possible that OpenAI or SpaceX would be raising more than that."
SpaceX’s Potential IPO
SpaceX is allegedly eyeing a market debut as early as June, and according to some reports, is expecting to raise more than $30 billion. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed IPO preparations in an X post last month, saying that Ars Technica’s reporting was "accurate." Despite being a space company, there is seemingly an AI angle to this IPO as well. The Ars Technica article that Musk confirmed on X posited that SpaceX was eyeing an IPO to raise enough capital to deploy data centers in space, an absurdly ambitious pitch that has been gaining considerable steam in the tech world.
OpenAI and Anthropic’s Potential IPOs
OpenAI and Anthropic’s potential public offerings, on the other hand, are on less certain timelines. A Financial Times report from December said that the Claude-maker had hired the law firm Wilson Sonsini to prepare for an IPO as early as this year, but Anthropic’s chief communications officer said there were no immediate plans. Meanwhile, a Reuters report from November said that OpenAI was planning an IPO of up to $1 trillion as early as late 2026. The report came mere days after the AI giant completed its recapitalization process to go from a non-profit to a for-profit.
Impact on the Economy
The IPOs could have a significant impact on the overall economy, with the potential to give the economy a bump and create a wealth effect. According to Ritter, "A buoyant IPO market historically has benefited local economies, especially those where employees have a lot of equity-based compensation, but the general economy as well." The AI sector has become central to the American economy, with Deutsche Bank researchers suggesting that it might single-handedly be saving the entire U.S. economy. In a note from earlier this year, Deutsche Bank’s George Saravelos wrote, "In the absence of tech-related spending, the U.S. would be close to, or in, recession this year."
The AI "Bubble"
The market may finally get a major pure-play AI stock with the potential IPOs of OpenAI and Anthropic, which could provide insight into the future of AI demand growth and profitability. According to Renaissance Capital Vice President of Research Nick Einhorn, "The AI space in general, it’s pretty new. As you get more AI stocks in the marketplace, then we’ll probably get more consensus over time of what the right metrics are to focus on and so on. But I think we’re still in the early stages of that." However, there is a very real risk of overvaluation, with both companies carrying a lot of hype and intense retail investor interest without any detailed financial disclosures in sight.
Conclusion
The potential IPOs of SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic have the potential to be some of the biggest and most highly anticipated in history. With the AI sector becoming increasingly central to the American economy, the success or failure of these IPOs could have a significant impact on the overall economy. As Einhorn noted, "I think that, if the IPOs go well, that will certainly encourage more investment in AI by private companies [and] by large public companies that are maybe not AI-specific companies." However, if the IPOs do poorly, it could cause investors to pull back on AI investment, potentially bursting the AI "bubble" and having a negative impact on the economy.
https://gizmodo.com/2026-is-poised-to-be-the-year-of-the-tech-ipo-will-it-also-be-the-year-the-ai-bubble-bursts-2000704395