3 Space ETFs to Own the Sector Without Buying SpaceX Directly
3 Space ETFs to Own the Sector Without Buying SpaceX Directly
SpaceX is expensive, but I want the sector
I believe SpaceX is the starting point of an entire new sector — one where a lot of money is going to flood in as entrepreneurs and businesses chase the upside. So while I don't want to own SpaceX straight up, I do want an ETF with exposure to the whole space sector. I think it'll hold companies with much better valuations, and the fund as a whole will be solid.
Here are the three I'm actually looking at.
1. XOVR — the cleanest direct SpaceX wrapper
XOVR (ERShares Private-Public Crossover ETF) is the cleanest direct pre-IPO SpaceX wrapper available in a regular brokerage account. The SpaceX position is its largest holding at over 10%, and the rest is big-cap public tech you already know — Nvidia, Google, Meta.
One thing gives me pause: the expense ratio. ERShares cites 0.75%, but stockanalysis shows 1.81%. The difference is likely net versus gross. Before you buy, pull the current fund fact sheet and verify the all-in number. This ETF was famous pre-IPO as a way to get SpaceX exposure, but now that SpaceX is going public it'll show up in plenty of ETFs — so it may not be the best option anymore.
2. NASA — the fastest-growing space theme ETF
The Tema Space Innovators ETF — ticker literally NASA — launched on March 30, so it's very new. Yet it went from zero to $2.6 billion in assets in roughly 37 trading days, the fastest space-thematic ETF ramp in history.
It's an active ETF with daily liquidity, but a higher expense ratio at 0.87%. SpaceX is held as the only liquid sleeve under the 15% ETF cap, and Tema marks it at an implied $1.51 trillion valuation. The top holdings are the bigger public space names — Rocket Lab, MDA Space, AST SpaceMobile, Planet Labs, Echostar, Lunar. This is for someone who wants SpaceX as a piece of the exposure, not the whole thing.
3. ARKX — the 'picks and shovels' I find most interesting
The ARK Space and Defense Innovation ETF (ARKX) is the most interesting of the three to me, because it bets on the entire sector in many different ways rather than on SpaceX as its only holding.
ARKX isn't just a space ETF — it's a bet on some of the biggest technological trends of the next 10 to 20 years. It invests in space infrastructure, satellite communications, defense technology, robotics, AI hardware, and autonomous systems. Top holdings include Rocket Lab, AMD, L3Harris, Kratos Defense, and Teradyne.
I like it because it owns a lot of the picks and shovels behind the space economy instead of leaning on SpaceX alone — the chips, sensors, software, launch services, robotics, and communications infrastructure the whole industry depends on. It's more volatile and carries a 0.75% expense ratio, but it offers a diversified way to participate in what could become one of the largest growth industries of the next several decades.
The three at a glance
| ETF | Expense ratio | SpaceX exposure | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| XOVR | 0.75% cited (up to 1.81% effective) | Largest holding (10%+) | Direct SpaceX wrapper + big tech |
| NASA (Tema) | 0.87% | Only liquid sleeve under 15% cap | Broad public space names |
| ARKX | 0.75% | A slice of the sector | Space + defense picks and shovels |
Where I land
If SpaceX really merits a $2 trillion valuation, it'll eventually be in all the major indexes you already own. But if you want to get in earlier, these ETFs are how I do it — and I lean toward diversified, sector-wide exposure like ARKX. This isn't financial advice, so do your own research.
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