The "Hectocorn" Era: Tech Giants Eye $100bn Valuations on Public Markets
As 2026 approaches, several cutting-edge US and European tech companies are gearing up to make their highly anticipated initial public offerings (IPOs), potentially catapulting them into the exclusive club of "hectocorns," valuations exceeding $100 billion.
At the forefront of this trend are AI heavyweights OpenAI, Anthropic, and Databricks. The latter two firms have already achieved significant valuations of $134 billion and $350 billion respectively, raising questions about whether their shares will maintain value or succumb to market volatility. If they succeed in attracting investors, the resulting market frenzy may spark concerns about an AI bubble.
One name that stands out among these contenders is SpaceX, which reportedly reached a staggering $800 billion valuation in December. The company's ties with Elon Musk and Tesla have raised eyebrows, making it a magnet for retail investors eager to participate in the "Musk effect." Despite these factors, analysts caution that geopolitical uncertainty may temper investor enthusiasm.
On the crypto front, Kraken is poised to make its mark on the public markets, having submitted its IPO paperwork and valued at $20 billion. As the US midterm elections draw near, speculation surrounds the likelihood of political changes impacting cryptocurrency regulation. The firm's IPO could be a harbinger for the broader crypto landscape.
Other tech giants making waves in 2026 include Canva, which boasts an impressive user base of over 240 million and a valuation of $65 billion; Anduril, with its close ties to the Trump administration and plans to capitalize on increased military spending. Monzo, a mobile-only bank operating in London, is reportedly working towards an IPO, despite recent leadership changes.
Stripe, founded by Irish brothers Patrick and John Collison in 2010, has experienced remarkable growth, now boasting a valuation of $107 billion. As the payment processing company gears up for its anticipated IPO, investors are eager to see how it will navigate market conditions.
With these high-profile companies set to make their debut on public markets, investors will be watching closely to gauge the success of this year's "hectocorn" class. Will they maintain their value and justify investor enthusiasm, or will they succumb to market pressures? Only time will tell as we embark on this new chapter in the tech industry.
As 2026 approaches, several cutting-edge US and European tech companies are gearing up to make their highly anticipated initial public offerings (IPOs), potentially catapulting them into the exclusive club of "hectocorns," valuations exceeding $100 billion.
At the forefront of this trend are AI heavyweights OpenAI, Anthropic, and Databricks. The latter two firms have already achieved significant valuations of $134 billion and $350 billion respectively, raising questions about whether their shares will maintain value or succumb to market volatility. If they succeed in attracting investors, the resulting market frenzy may spark concerns about an AI bubble.
One name that stands out among these contenders is SpaceX, which reportedly reached a staggering $800 billion valuation in December. The company's ties with Elon Musk and Tesla have raised eyebrows, making it a magnet for retail investors eager to participate in the "Musk effect." Despite these factors, analysts caution that geopolitical uncertainty may temper investor enthusiasm.
On the crypto front, Kraken is poised to make its mark on the public markets, having submitted its IPO paperwork and valued at $20 billion. As the US midterm elections draw near, speculation surrounds the likelihood of political changes impacting cryptocurrency regulation. The firm's IPO could be a harbinger for the broader crypto landscape.
Other tech giants making waves in 2026 include Canva, which boasts an impressive user base of over 240 million and a valuation of $65 billion; Anduril, with its close ties to the Trump administration and plans to capitalize on increased military spending. Monzo, a mobile-only bank operating in London, is reportedly working towards an IPO, despite recent leadership changes.
Stripe, founded by Irish brothers Patrick and John Collison in 2010, has experienced remarkable growth, now boasting a valuation of $107 billion. As the payment processing company gears up for its anticipated IPO, investors are eager to see how it will navigate market conditions.
With these high-profile companies set to make their debut on public markets, investors will be watching closely to gauge the success of this year's "hectocorn" class. Will they maintain their value and justify investor enthusiasm, or will they succumb to market pressures? Only time will tell as we embark on this new chapter in the tech industry.
think about it, $100bn valuation is like, a whole different ball game for these companies... they gotta keep delivering or risk losing all that value 
openai and anthropic are already making waves with their valuations, but can they sustain it? 
what's the "musk effect" all about tho? is elon musk just a magnet for retail investors or is there something more to it? 
Can we talk about how this all plays out and if investors are being smart or reckless? 
And Canva is doing something amazing with their design tools and user base of over 240 million - I use them all the time for work! 
And Monzo's mobile-only banking model is so interesting - will they be able to make it work with an IPO? 
.
.
I'm worried about what might happen when these companies start trading on public markets. Will we see a market frenzy like we did with Tesla back in 2016? 
, but at the same time, I'm like, totally worried that we're gonna see a huge bubble bursting soon 
. Like, have you seen the valuations of some of these companies? $800 billion for SpaceX is just wild 
, so maybe we should just be excited about the potential for innovation and growth? Or... or maybe we're just getting too caught up in the hype 
. The whole AI bubble is gonna burst and leave everyone with a bad taste in their mouths 
. And don't even get me started on SpaceX - Elon Musk is just trying to distract us from his real failures 
and I'm low-key excited for their IPO, but at the same time, what about the market volatility? 
Also, Stripe is another company that's growing so fast, it'll be interesting to see how they handle their IPO 
Anduril's got some interesting ties with the Trump admin but I guess only time will tell if it pays off 
. And what about SpaceX? $800 billion valuation? That's just crazy talk 
.
Also, I'm loving how Canva is finally getting its due, with over 240 million users 
.
That's just not how it works in a free market. We need more scrutiny and accountability from both investors and regulators 
.
. And Stripe's been growing so fast, it'll be interesting to see if they can keep it up 
.
?