SpaceX, OpenAI Or Discord? Retail Traders Pick Their Most Awaited 2026 IPO — And The Winner Was Obvious

Retail traders overwhelmingly picked SpaceX as their most anticipated 2026 IPO, far outpacing OpenAI and Discord.
Retail traders overwhelmingly picked SpaceX as their most anticipated 2026 IPO, far outpacing OpenAI and Discord. (Photo credot: Getty Images)
Retail traders overwhelmingly picked SpaceX as their most anticipated 2026 IPO, far outpacing OpenAI and Discord. (Photo credot: Getty Images)
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Deepti Sri·Stocktwits
Published Jan 08, 2026   |   2:09 AM EST
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  • SpaceX led the poll with about 59%, well ahead of OpenAI at roughly 26% and Discord near 10%.
  • Retail interest in SpaceX has surged, with watcher count up about 116% over the past year and message volume up roughly 1,600% in the last 90 days.
  • Other names mentioned by retail investors include Databricks, Anduril, and Anthropic.

Retail investors are already looking ahead to the next wave of blockbuster IPOs, and a recent poll shows a clear favorite emerging well before any official filings. 

Among SpaceX, OpenAI, and Discord, SpaceX emerged as the most anticipated potential 2026 listing by a wide margin in a recent Stocktwits poll, capturing about 59% of the vote.

SpaceX Leads Retail Anticipation

U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledges SpaceX founder Elon Musk (R) after the successful launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the manned Crew Dragon spacecraft at the Kennedy Space Center on May 30, 2020.

SpaceX has not formally announced IPO plans, but speculation around a mid- to late-2026 listing has intensified. That anticipation has been amplified by CEO Elon Musk’s public comments, rising market chatter, and growing debate on Wall Street over how such a listing could be structured.

Over the past year, SpaceX’s watcher count on Stocktwits has risen about 116%, while message volume has surged roughly 1,600% over the past 90 days. The company’s dominance in low Earth orbit launches, rapid Starlink expansion, and launch cadence reinforce its position as retail’s clear favorite.

Retail sentiment for SpaceX was ‘extremely bullish’ amid ‘high’ message volume.

OpenAI Ranks Second As AI IPO Speculation Builds

The OpenAI logo displays on a smartphone screen reflecting green beams. (Photo by Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

OpenAI placed second in the poll with roughly 26% of votes. The maker of ChatGPT has reportedly begun discussions about a potential IPO that could value the company at around $1 trillion, with a possible filing as soon as the second half of 2026.

The company’s transition to a for-profit structure and its capital-intensive AI ambitions have kept it firmly in focus.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for OpenAI was ‘neutral’ amid ‘low’ message volume.

Discord Draws Interest After IPO Reports

In this photo illustration, a Discord logo seen displayed on a smartphone. (Photo Illustration by Mateusz Slodkowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Discord garnered about 10% of the poll after reports said the chat platform has confidentially filed for a U.S. IPO, though timing and deal size remain unclear.

The company now has more than 200 million monthly active users and has expanded far beyond gaming into tech, AI, crypto, and creator communities. It was valued at roughly $15 billion in its last funding round in 2021 and previously turned down a $12 billion acquisition offer from Microsoft.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Discord was ‘extremely bullish’ amid ‘extremely high’ message volume.

Broader IPO Watchlist

Beyond the main poll options, retail users pointed to a broader set of companies they are watching for potential listings, including Databricks, Anduril, and Anthropic.

Databricks signed a Series K term sheet in August, valuing the company at more than $100 billion, with subsequent reports suggesting that fresh financing could push the valuation above $130 billion.

The company has disclosed a $4 billion revenue run rate, more than 50% year-over-year growth, and a $1 billion AI products run rate.

On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for Databricks was ‘neutral’ amid ‘high’ message volume.

How Did Stocktwits Users React?

One user said, "most excited for the discord IPO as that's gonna be valuable but spaceX is likely a huge game changer for the emerging space economy."

Another bearish user said, "Every one of those IPOs is ridiculously overvalued."

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.

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