AI-linked altcoins rise as SpaceX IPO nears

Worldcoin (WLD), NEAR Protocol (NEAR) and Bittensor (TAO) posted double-digit gains in recent sessions as traders positioned ahead of SpaceX’s initial public offering and the company’s tie-up with xAI. Bitcoin traded above $63,000 during the same period.

Underwriters priced SpaceX shares at $135 on June 11, valuing the company near $1.77 trillion. The stock is set to begin trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX on June 12. Company filings indicate an intention to raise up to $75 billion.

SpaceX acquired xAI in February 2026, linking the rocket company to an AI lab. Traders treated the upcoming listing as a way to gain exposure to AI-related assets in the crypto market.

Market data show WLD climbed about 12% over 24 hours and roughly doubled over 30 days. NEAR rose about 7% on the day and nearly 40% across the month. TAO advanced roughly 4% in the session.

Each project has AI-related features. Worldcoin operates an identity network built around human verification. NEAR positions itself as a layer-1 chain for building AI agents and services. Bittensor runs a decentralized network for training and rewarding AI models.

Bitcoin fell to near $60,000 earlier in the week before recovering to trade above $63,000. The token was down about 11% for the week and roughly 21% over the month.

Some traders reduced exposure after the rally. Arthur Hayes trimmed his NEAR holdings ahead of the listing. Analyst Michael van de Poppe wrote that it is unusual to see altcoins hold up while Bitcoin retraces, noting Bitcoin had reached about $61,000 while his altcoin portfolio showed little movement.

Traders pointed to a flow of institutional capital into large public listings as an influence on crypto market flows. They said the sessions after SPCX’s debut will show whether demand for AI-linked tokens continues, with SPCX’s opening price and Bitcoin’s level around $60,000 identified as near-term indicators.