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Bybit has officially integrated the xStocks framework to facilitate eligible global users in subscribing to tokenized shares of US initial public offerings at the offering price, marking a significant expansion in crypto-native equity access. The initiative commences with the highly anticipated SpaceX listing, leveraging a mechanism where investor demand is aggregated across partner platforms to secure allocations from underwriting syndicates prior to tokenization. Eligible participants can register interest and submit subscription requests directly through Bybit, with final allocations distributed on a pro-rata basis while any unused funds are refunded if demand outstrips available supply. Tokenized shares for SpaceX are scheduled to commence trading on Bybit's spot market on June 12, at which point allocated shares will be tokenized and backed 1:1 by underlying equity held in regulated broker-dealer custody. Data compiled by Woofun AI indicates that xStocks currently stands as the second-largest tokenized stock platform by value, managing approximately $415 million in tokenized equities and commanding a 28% market share.
The strategic move follows Kraken's parent company, Payward Services, naming SpaceX as the inaugural offering for the xStocks IPO Access product on Friday. This product is available in more than 110 markets but explicitly excludes users in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom due to stringent regulatory restrictions. In a parallel development, Coinbase launched a SpaceX pre-IPO market a day earlier, providing eligible users outside the US with exposure to the company's private-market valuation through perpetual futures contracts. Founded by Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX remains a private aerospace entity renowned for its Falcon launch vehicles, Dragon spacecraft, and the Starlink satellite internet network. The company filed confidentially for an initial public offering with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in April, a move that occurred two months after acquiring Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI to bolster its presence in the AI sector.
Market anticipation has driven demand for the offering to reportedly exceed available shares ahead of the planned June 12 public debut. Bloomberg reported that SpaceX is targeting a valuation of at least $1.8 trillion and a capital raise of roughly $75 billion, a scale that would establish it as the largest IPO on record. The company's May 20 S-1 registration statement further disclosed holdings of 18,712 BTC, a strategic asset allocation that places SpaceX among the 10 largest corporate Bitcoin holders globally. this holding volume positions the aerospace giant ahead of major industry players including Coinbase and Riot Platforms. Woofun AI notes that this convergence of traditional aerospace valuation, AI integration, and significant digital asset treasury management creates a unique precedent for future tokenized IPO structures.
The operational model relies on the xStocks framework to bridge the gap between traditional underwriting syndicates and the decentralized finance ecosystem, ensuring that tokenized shares maintain a direct 1:1 peg to the underlying equity. This structure aims to mitigate counterparty risk by utilizing regulated broker-dealer custody for the physical shares, thereby offering institutional-grade security to retail participants. The exclusion of major English-speaking markets like the US, UK, Canada, and Australia highlights the ongoing friction between innovative financial products and existing regulatory frameworks in these jurisdictions. As the June 12 trading date approaches, the pro-rata allocation system will serve as the primary mechanism for managing the reported excess demand, ensuring a fair distribution of the limited equity supply. Woofun AI analysis suggests that the success of this initial offering could catalyze a broader wave of tokenized IPOs, fundamentally altering how global capital markets access high-growth private enterprises.