By Katherine Doherty | Updated on Jun 12, 2026 at 03:03 PM
Even SpaceX’s opening bell ceremonies at the Nasdaq stock market were a first-of-their-kind affair.
Thousands of SpaceX employees helped ring in the company’s public debut in both Texas and New York, the first time a company has done a dual opening bell ceremony for an IPO, according to a spokesperson for Nasdaq.
The move is a quirk of the rocket and space company’s decision to dually list its shares on the traditional Nasdaq exchange and the newly launched Nasdaq Texas exchange. While that’s largely been viewed as a symbolic vote of confidence in Texas — where SpaceX is headquartered — some experts have said it could provide the company with legal and tax benefits.
About 200 employees rang in the listing using rocket-shaped bells in New York, and several thousand additional staffers celebrated at SpaceX’s Starbase facility in Texas, according to the Nasdaq spokesperson.
SpaceX made history with its $75 billion IPO on Thursday that instantly turned it into one of the biggest public companies in the world. Friday’s opening ceremony will kick off its efforts to win over the market, though shadow markets are already pricing a blockbuster debut.
Read more: SpaceX Prepares for Debut After $75 Billion IPO Breaks Record ·
As more and more corporations have moved operations to Texas, exchange operators have followed suit. Banks, asset managers and law firms also employ thousands of staffers in Dallas, spawning the moniker “Y’all Street” for the city.
Dozens of companies have now chosen to cross-list their shares in Texas and New York, though SpaceX will be the first to publicly debut in both cities. Nasdaq itself is dually listed on Nasdaq Texas, and the company says such a move allows companies to align with Texas’ business-friendly environment.