WhatsApp SpaceX is in early discussions to sell insider shares that could boost the value of Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company to around US$255-billion, people familiar with the matter said. That would be a premium to the company’s previous valuation of about $210-billion. It would also cement SpaceX’s status as the most valuable private US company. SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies, declined to comment on the valuation. The new valuation would be a record for an American private company, but is still lower than ByteDance The plan, where employees and some early shareholders can sell shares, provides investors in privately held SpaceX a new way to profit off of Musk’s deep ties with US President-elect Donald Trump and the windfalls across the billionaire’s business empire. Shares in electric vehicle maker Tesla, Musk’s only publicly traded company, have jumped 26% since the 5 November election, adding $200-billion to its market capitalisation. The current conversations with SpaceX are ongoing and the details of a potential transaction could change depending on interest from insider sellers and buyers, cautioned the people, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorised to speak publicly. The Financial Times, citing people with knowledge of the talks, earlier reported that SpaceX is preparing to launch a tender offer in December that will sell existing shares in the business at about $135 each, valuing the company at more than $250-billion. The Financial Times said SpaceX declined to comment. Starship In a tender, a company does not issue new shares, award new equity or raise funds from the transaction. The new valuation would be a record for an American private company, but is still lower than the $268-billion December 2023 valuation of ByteDance, the Chinese parent of social video phenomenon TikTok. Already, SpaceX is on par with some of the world’s largest publicly traded companies by market capitalisation.