Growing appetite for new stock listings, combined with the momentum of high-profile private companies such as Elon Musk's SpaceX, is setting the stage for a breakthrough year in the U.S. initial public offering market.

Goldman Sachs projected last week that if well-known companies go public this year, U.S. IPO proceeds could reach a record $160 billion by 2026.

Market participants are also optimistic about billion-dollar-plus IPOs in the coming months, supported by a robust pipeline of late-stage private firms.

Nonetheless, risks remain. Recent sell-offs in software stocks could dampen issuance activity in the sector, which accounts for a significant portion of the IPO backlog.

Below is an overview of some major IPOs expected in 2026:

SpaceX Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing for a large-scale IPO that could value the company at over $1.5 trillion, potentially launching as early as June.

SpaceX announced last week the acquisition of AI startup xAI in a landmark deal, merging Musk's ambitions in artificial intelligence and space exploration.

If SpaceX raises more than $25.6 billion, it would become the world's largest IPO, surpassing the 2019 listing of oil giant Saudi Aramco.

OpenAI OpenAI is laying the groundwork for an IPO that could value the ChatGPT maker at up to $1 trillion, with plans to file with securities regulators as early as the second half of 2026.

The company’s chief financial officer stated last year that an IPO was not part of OpenAI's near-term plans.

Anthropic According to a December report, Anthropic hired law firm Wilson Sonsini to prepare for a public listing, which could take place as early as 2026.

A spokesperson for Anthropic said at the time that the company had not yet decided when or whether to go public.