How to Buy Starlink Stock in 2024: Is it Possible?

In today’s increasingly digital world, internet connectivity is becoming less of a luxury and more of a necessity. However, many parts of the country and of the world remain unconnected or under-connected. You’ve probably heard about Starlink, a division of aerospace manufacturer SpaceX, and how it’s working to change that.

The Starlink satellite internet constellation is a relatively new service promising to connect nearly every corner of the globe to the internet (and its done so in the wake of Hurricane Helene in Appalachia). I personally have several friends who have been relieved to finally get internet service in their rural homes thanks to Starlink.

If you’re an investor interested in benefiting from the potential growth of Starlink, you may be wondering how you can buy Starlink stock. You can’t invest directly in Starlink just yet. We’ll take a peek at how Starlink is doing so far and whether you might consider investing money in the SpaceX division if it eventually goes public.

Starlink at a glance

Company name	Starlink
Founder(s)	Elon Musk
Year founded	2014
Location	Redmond, Washington
Industry	Telecommunications
Ticker symbol	Doesn’t exist yet
Expected Starlink IPO date	TBD

Aerospace manufacturer SpaceX has grown significantly since its founding in 2002. It has about 9,500 employees as of 2021. Since 2014, a division of SpaceX has been working on a so-called satellite “constellation” that will provide internet access nearly anywhere in the world.

SpaceX’s Starlink satellites form this constellation; the company uses satellites in low Earth orbit to enable online gaming, video calls, streaming, and other aspects of internet connectivity. As a division of SpaceX, the company’s founder is Elon Musk.

According to Space.com, there are 6,426 Starlink satellites in orbit as of September 2024.

Why do people want to invest in Starlink?

There are many reasons people may want to invest in Starlink, but it being one of CEO Elon Musk’s numerous companies is a likely factor. Although Musk can be a polarizing figure, he inevitably draws a lot of attention with any of his business endeavors.

Also consider SpaceX, the company that operates Starlink. As a well-known force in the developing space industry, SpaceX has received a lot of attention with its eye-catching launches. That includes the Crew-3 Mission launch from the Kennedy Space Center in November 2021.

The company’s potential is also raising eyebrows among investors. Starlink estimated its addressable market was $6 billion at launch. What this means is Starlink could bring in as much as $6 billion in its first year if it can turn every potential sales lead into a customer. However, Gwynne Shotwell, president and CEO of SpaceX said in a 2021 interview that Starlink’s total addressable market could be as high as $1 trillion.

According to a 2024 report by market research and consulting firm Quilty Space, Starlink could reach $6.6 billion in revenue in 2024. That kind of money means people want to get in on the profits.

Certainly, Starlink is offering a valuable service, helping people in otherwise unserved areas get fast internet connectivity, which is really crucial to just about everything you need in modern society.

Who can get Starlink service?

Would-be Starlink customers can sign up for internet service under either a personal or a business plan. The residential personal plan, which is for a regular household, costs $120 per month as of October 2024, and it offers unlimited data in a fixed location. Service for a business on a fixed site costs $140 per month, and roaming services have higher starting price points.

I’ve lived in plenty of places where internet service was spotty or overly expensive, so I definitely understand the relief that friends have felt when they were finally able to sign up for Starlink service. It’s not quite everywhere.

Starlink valuation

If you’re looking for information on how much Starlink is worth, it’s a bit tricky to pinpoint because Starlink is a private company. You can look at the $6.6 billion projected revenue in 2024 as an indicator that the company is doing well, but there’s no value based on a stock exchange market cap.

We do know that SpaceX has secured some funding specific to broadband access, such as $885 million in broadband subsidies from the Federal Communications Commission.

Elon Musk has also raised equity funding in several rounds, including an announcement of $337.4 million raised in December 2021. SpaceX’s value was $100 billion in October 2021 after a secondary share sale, and it had raised $1.16 billion in equity financing in April. Notable investors include Alphabet Inc. and Fidelity Investments.

Pros and cons of investing in Starlink

Again, you can’t just purchase shares of Starlink through your brokerage account. But these are some of the main pros and cons of investing in Starlink.

Reasons to invest in Starlink

You can’t invest in Starlink just yet, but there are a few reasons the broadband provider might be an investment to consider in the future.

First, satellite internet by its nature is easier to expand than cable and fiber internet infrastructure. People can theoretically use Starlink as long as they have the necessary equipment and a clear view of the sky as its satellites orbit the globe.

Hence, Starlink could be a boon to rural areas and other places where internet service is sparse (that’s a really big deal, bringing rural residents into the future). It also may be more resilient during severe weather and natural disasters because there are no towers or physical lines that can be wiped out on the ground. We’ve already seen that benefit in action in North Carolina and other areas impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Reasons to avoid Starlink

As mentioned, Starlink isn’t publicly traded yet, and some of these issues could improve before it goes public. Still, there are things you should keep in mind.

At the moment, it’s not a certainty that Starlink will be sustainable from a financial standpoint. Musk said in the past that the company needs up to $30 billion in annual funding to survive.

Also problematic for Starlink is that its service is reported to be unreliable in many cases. Many beta testers experienced issues with the service. Even the slightest obstruction of the view of the sky may cause slowdowns and interruptions. Trees and buildings could cause problems for Starlink service.

There are also concerns about light pollution and even Starlink’s satellites potentially interfering with the work of astronomers. Another problem is that some users reported “non-existent” customer service — something that will need to be addressed going forward.

When to expect a Starlink IPO

Honestly, I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting for a Starlink IPO at this point. Though rumors have swirled for years, Elon Musk himself continues to state that he wants the company to grow and mature before it would go public. Plus, he’s a busy guy, if you haven’t noticed, running SpaceX and X and Tesla and Starlink. This could impact the future of the company.

Considering that Starlink is a division of SpaceX, which is also still a privately held company, the chance of a Starlink IPO is still very much uncertain.

How to buy Starlink stock

Let me reiterate: you can’t yet buy Starlink shares on the stock market. That won’t be possible until when (and if) the company ultimately goes public.

If and when that happens, you’d be able to purchase shares by looking up the company’s ticker symbol, checking the price per share, and buying shares within your brokerage account.

For now, there are some options you may consider if you want to know how to invest in SpaceX or in Starlink.

Invest in Starlink partners

One way to invest now is to watch for Starlink partner companies. For instance, Shift4 Payments (NYSE: FOUR) announced a five-year partnership with Starlink. Watch for partnerships like these to invest indirectly.

Invest in Tesla

Even though you can’t invest directly in SpaceX or Starlink quite yet, you can invest in the one Elon Musk company that is currently public. Tesla vehicles are fully internet-capable, so it’s not far-fetched to think Teslas may one day be able to use a Starlink connection. Find out how to invest in Tesla stock if you want to go this route.

Look for Starlink on pre-IPO trading platforms

There are now pre-IPO investing platforms that may allow you to trade Starlink or SpaceX shares before they go public. Examples include IG and EquityZen. For more details, check out our EquityZen review.

However, pre-IPO investments tend to be much riskier. That’s part of the reason why unless you’re an accredited investor, you won’t qualify to purchase pre-IPO shares of any company. High net worth is one of the criteria for becoming an accredited investor.

FAQs

Bottom line

Starlink is a promising company with seemingly limitless potential. It has already expanded internet services to the far reaches of the globe without requiring Wi-Fi devices, which can bring millions of people online.

However, as with all of Elon Musk’s companies (except Tesla), Starlink is not publicly traded for now. That may not be a bad thing, though, because its service has been unreliable for many of those who have tried it. In addition, the company doesn’t appear to be profitable yet — though we will need to see its earnings reports to know for sure. Those won’t come unless Starlink goes public.

Perhaps Starlink will go public sometime in the next few years, but nothing is for certain yet.