SpaceX Gains FTC Clearance to Acquire $50M Mesh Optical, Sparks $4B Passive Buying
SPCX•Federal Trade Commission cleared Musk’s SpaceX to acquire Mesh Optical Technologies, a startup that raised $50 million Series A and develops optical transceivers for high-speed data centers. SpaceX shares rose 0.15% ahead of its inclusion in Russell U.S. indexes and Nasdaq 100, compelling passive funds to buy over $4 billion of stock.
1. FTC Clears Acquisition of Mesh Optical Technologies
The Federal Trade Commission completed an expedited antitrust review and approved SpaceX’s plan to acquire Mesh Optical Technologies, a startup founded in 2025 by former SpaceX engineers Travis Brashears, Cameron Ramos and Serena Grown-Haeberli. Mesh raised a $50 million Series A led by Thrive Capital and develops light-based optical transceivers that offer faster, more energy-efficient data links than traditional electrical systems. The acquisition could enhance efficiency at SpaceX’s terrestrial and orbital data centers, supporting compute services for clients such as Google, Anthropic and Reflection AI.
2. Passive Buying Ahead of Russell U.S. and Nasdaq 100 Additions
SpaceX shares rose 0.15% on June 26 as FTSE Russell confirmed its addition to Russell U.S. indexes, requiring passively managed funds to purchase over $4 billion of stock before trading begins. Approximately $19 billion of SpaceX shares changed hands that day, with nearly half traded in the final minutes. The company will join the Nasdaq 100 on July 7, further driving passive ETF demand, while its 107× 2025 sales multiple contrasts with peers and its S&P 500 inclusion remains blocked due to unprofitability criteria.
