2026 could mark a major milestone for investors, with OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI expected to become available to everyday shareholders. The last technology shift that generated this much excitement was the internet boom of the late 1990s.
As with any emerging opportunity, opinions are mixed. These companies have developed remarkable technologies and experienced rapid growth, but they also carry significant valuations and face questions about long-term profitability.
In this article, we’ll take a practical look at the upcoming AI IPO wave, explore the potential opportunities and risks, and discuss how investors can evaluate whether these companies belong in a long-term investment plan.
AI Reaches Public Markets
An initial public offering (IPO) is the first time that a private company’s shares are made available to the public, allowing normal investors to buy shares and participate in the future growth of the company. Major AI labs have been private for years, but that will change this year.
SpaceX has already listed its shares publicly. Anthropic, the maker of the Claude AI assistant, is planning to do so later this year. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is also targeting a listing.
For the first time, investors can get direct exposure to some of the highest-growth companies of the 2020s. Until now, the only way to invest in this wave was indirectly, through stakeholders like Microsoft, Nvidia, and Alphabet.
SpaceX Goes Public
Elon Musk’s space exploration company, and owner of xAI, went public on June 12th. It was the largest initial public offering ever, and ranks SpaceX among the most valuable companies on Earth. SpaceX is four different businesses stacked on top of each other, each with its own risk profile:
- Launch services: SpaceX has a near-monopoly on commercial rocket launches, but it’s actually the slowest-growing segment.
- Starlink: Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite-internet service, and it’s the part of the company analysts can actually model with confidence. It accounts for the majority of SpaceX’s total revenue and is currently the company’s only consistently profitable segment.
- xAI: SpaceX also owns the AI lab xAI, which runs the Grok chatbot.
- Space exploration: SpaceX has lofty goals to continue pushing humanity’s presence in space. These goals often capture headlines, but their validity is questionable.
SpaceX is fundamentally a bet on future potential. The company isn’t profitable yet, but it’s one of the few players capable of launching rockets cheaply and reliably, a formidable moat that could let it expand into business lines no competitor can currently reach.
Other Ways to Invest in Space Exploration
SpaceX isn’t the only public space company. Rocket Lab competes directly in launch and space systems, while Planet Labs builds the satellite-imaging and data businesses that ride on top of cheaper access to orbit.
There are also space-focused index funds that bundle dozens of these companies into one position, spreading an investment across the industry instead of pinning it to one name.
What These Three Companies Have in Common
All three companies represent some of the fastest-growing businesses ever and are finally becoming available for regular people to invest in shares – but at a lofty price tag. While they have high potential over the long run, they also carry significant short-term risk.
Getting in on The IPO Hype
If you’re eager to buy shares in any of these three companies, there are a few best practices to keep in mind.
Allocate a Small Percentage of Your Portfolio
Speculative high-growth companies should often take up just a small portion of your portfolio to help minimize downside risk. Decide in advance what percentage you’re comfortable putting at real risk, and size your positions accordingly.
If you’re not sure what percentage is right for you, consider speaking with a certified financial planner to get personalized advice.
Get Exposure Without Single-Stock Risk
For many investors, a low-cost index fund is the simpler and often smarter way to ride these trends. Instead of trying to guess whether SpaceX or a particular AI lab will justify its price, you can own a small slice of hundreds of companies at once through an index fund, which means a single stock can’t sink your portfolio.
Be Wary of Buying IPOs Immediately
Freshly public stocks are often highly volatile. Prices are known to pop during the first few weeks due to investor excitement, but then taper off over time after the initial excitement has faded.
Initial public offerings are also the first time that early insiders are allowed to sell their shares. This can flood the market with shares and force the price downward in the months after the debut.
Match the Risk to Your Timeline
Nobody knows when emerging technology like AI or space exploration will actually transition into viable, sustainable business models. It could take two years, or twenty.
If you choose to invest, be prepared to keep your money invested over the long run. For this reason, volatile positions are far riskier for someone five years from retirement than for someone with 25 years ahead of them.
Remember the Tax Bill
If you buy and later sell at a profit, those gains are taxable, and short-term gains are taxed at higher ordinary-income rates. Factoring in the tax consequences before you trade is part of investing in any high-growth theme intelligently.
Is This the Right Move for You? An SD Capital Advisor Can Help You Decide
At SD Capital, we don’t believe in trying to chase the trendiest investment. We believe in intentional, values-driven decisions that fit your actual life and goals.
Exciting sectors and new IPOs are worth understanding, but they only matter to you once they’re translated into choices that align with your financial plan. That’s where working with a fiduciary advisor helps. A good one provides three things:
- Planning: Building a realistic strategy around your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance, so a new trend has a place to fit (or a reason to be left out).
- Accountability: Keeping you anchored to your plan when a hyped IPO tempts you to abandon it.
- Guidance: Helping you adjust as the technology, the market, and the tax code evolve.
That starts with an honest conversation about your story, including your goals, your timeline, and how much risk genuinely makes sense for you. Whether you’re tempted by one of these IPOs or just want a second opinion on how new trends fit your portfolio, we’re here to think it through with you.
Reach out to schedule a conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I buy SpaceX, OpenAI, or Anthropic stock when they go public?
Only if you’re prepared for volatility. These are exciting companies, but stock prices for new companies can often swing up or down very quickly. Decide how a position fits your overall plan and risk tolerance before buying, rather than buying simply because the company is famous.
How can I invest in robotics or AI without picking individual stocks?
Diversified index funds and thematic ETFs already hold many of the leading players, such as Nvidia, Tesla, and Microsoft. If you own a broad stock fund, you likely have meaningful exposure to these trends already, without the risk of betting on a single company.
Are these trends a bubble?
Some valuations look stretched even though the underlying technologies are genuinely transformative. Both things can be true at once. The trend can reshape the economy while individual stocks, bought at the wrong price, still disappoint. That’s exactly why price and position size matter as much as the idea itself.
The IPO Boom Is Coming. Should You Buy In–Or Stay Far Away?
2026 could mark a major milestone for investors, with OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI expected to become available to everyday shareholders. The last technology shift that generated this much excitement was the internet boom of the late 1990s.
As with any emerging opportunity, opinions are mixed. These companies have developed remarkable technologies and experienced rapid growth, but they also carry significant valuations and face questions about long-term profitability.
In this article, we’ll take a practical look at the upcoming AI IPO wave, explore the potential opportunities and risks, and discuss how investors can evaluate whether these companies belong in a long-term investment plan.
The opinions and market review expressed in this material are for general informational purposes only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All performance referenced is historical and is not a guarantee of future results. All indices are unmanaged and cannot be invested in directly.
Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal. No investment strategy can guarantee success or protect against loss in all market conditions.
This material is not intended to be a substitute for individualized financial, tax, or legal advice. Please consult your financial advisor, tax professional, or legal counsel regarding your specific situation.
Jason has been with SD Capital since 2015, bringing deep experience and a calm, steady approach to financial planning. He lives in Perrysburg with his wife Sarah and their three kids, and spends his free time golfing, playing pickup sports, and tackling home projects.
