TLDR:
- Coinbase has launched a pre-IPO perpetual futures product, with SpaceX as the first available listing.
- The product is settled in USDC, trades 24/7, and is currently restricted to non-U.S. users only.
- Forbes estimates SpaceX’s $135 IPO share price could make Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
- Reuters reports the SpaceX IPO is targeted for June 12, with prediction markets placing 91% odds on Musk.
Coinbase has introduced a pre-IPO perpetual futures product, allowing traders outside the United States to speculate on private companies before their public debut. SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, is the first company listed on the platform.
The product is settled in USDC, trades around the clock, and positions carry over automatically once the IPO is complete. More listings across technology, AI, energy, and space sectors are expected soon.
SpaceX Takes Center Stage on Coinbase’s New Platform
Coinbase’s pre-IPO perp product gives traders direct exposure to SpaceX’s valuation ahead of its anticipated public listing.
Positions are opened using USDC, ensuring a stable settlement currency throughout the trading period. The product operates 24/7, meaning traders can react to new developments at any time.
Once SpaceX completes its IPO, all open positions will automatically convert based on the debut share price. This means traders stand to gain or lose depending on how closely pre-IPO valuations align with the actual listing price. Pre-market prices are historically volatile, so risks remain considerable.
Taking to X to explain the product’s purpose, Coinbase co-founder and CEO Brian Armstrong wrote, “Pre-IPO perps are great to get exposure to private companies before they go public (outside the U.S. only for now) and to help with price discovery.”
His post frames the product as both a speculative tool and a mechanism for establishing fair market value before a company lists publicly.
Currently, the product is restricted to users outside the United States. Coinbase has not disclosed a timeline for a potential U.S. rollout, though the platform confirmed additional pre-IPO listings are coming across multiple industries.
SpaceX IPO Could Make Musk the World’s First Trillionaire
The timing of Coinbase’s launch coincides with major news surrounding the SpaceX IPO itself. Forbes reported that a listing price of $135 per share could push Elon Musk’s net worth past the trillion-dollar mark. That would make him the first person in history to reach that milestone.
Reuters reported the IPO is targeted for June 12, placing the event just days away. On prediction market Myriad, users currently assign a 91% probability to Musk becoming a trillionaire before July. That level of confidence reflects strong market sentiment around the listing.
Perpetual futures, or perps, allow traders to go long or short on an asset without holding it directly. Unlike standard futures, perps carry no expiration date, making them suitable for longer-term speculation. The format gained widespread popularity last year through decentralized exchange Hyperliquid.
Coinbase’s product merges perps with pre-market trading, a structure already familiar in the crypto space. Pre-market token trading has been a common feature on exchanges, though price accuracy remains a known challenge given the speculative nature of early-stage listings.
