Musk: SpaceX IPO 'Pretty Soon' — Bloomberg Reports 'Starship V3 Must Deliver' as Stock Split Processing Begins May 18

On May 18, 2026, Elon Musk made public comments at the Samson International Smart Mobility Summit in Tel Aviv stating 'We've got to get the SpaceX IPO going pretty soon,' adding that the company's S-1 prospectus could be filed 'this week.' The remarks were broadcast via video link and were reported by Bloomberg in a May 18 video segment. Bloomberg simultaneously published an analysis titled 'SpaceX Needs Starship V3 Launch to Deliver Ahead of Planned IPO,' noting that the Block 3 IFT-12 flight is the single most critical pre-IPO technical milestone: a successful V3 flight would validate Raptor 3 engine performance, the new thermal protection system, and Starship's cargo deployment capability — providing tangible evidence for the $1.75T–$2T+ valuation SpaceX is seeking for its targeted June 2026 Nasdaq IPO (ticker: SPCX). FX Leaders reported May 18 that 'SpaceX is poised to soar as it preps IPO and 5-for-1 split,' noting that the 5-for-1 stock split processing formally began on May 18 (per the company's previously announced May 18–22 processing window), reducing the fair market value per share from approximately $526.59 to approximately $105.32 to maximize retail investor access. The public S-1 filing window (open since May 15, 2026 under the SEC 15-day confidential-filing rule) remains active as of May 18, with the prospectus expected as early as the week of May 19 per CNBC. The combination of Musk's live IPO commentary, the Bloomberg technical-stakes analysis, and the stock split processing beginning on the same day as the IFT-12 T-1 countdown marks May 18 as a pivotal 24-hour window in SpaceX's transition from private to public company.