SpaceX Executes Massive $268M Bitcoin Transfer Amid Escalating NASA Tensions

Elon Musk's aerospace giant makes bold crypto move as government relations sour

SpaceX just shifted a staggering $268 million in Bitcoin—timing that screams strategic statement. The transfer coincides with publicly escalating tensions between Musk's space venture and NASA, raising eyebrows across both crypto and aerospace circles.

Corporate Treasury or Strategic Maneuver?

While SpaceX maintains its typical silence on specific crypto movements, the transaction's scale suggests this isn't routine portfolio management. That's chump change for Musk personally but represents serious corporate capital allocation—the kind that makes traditional finance suits clutch their pearls over 'volatile digital assets.'

The NASA Factor

Ongoing contract disputes and regulatory skirmishes with the space agency create perfect cover for what might be either brilliant financial positioning or pure Muskian trolling. Either way, moving nine figures in Bitcoin during a very public bureaucratic spat sends a clear message about where SpaceX sees real financial sovereignty.

Because nothing says 'we don't need government money' like parking a quarter-billion in decentralized currency while your lawyers exchange passive-aggressive letters with federal agencies. Wall Street analysts are probably still trying to explain how this fits into their discounted cash flow models.

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According to Arkham Intelligence, the company sent 1,187 bitcoin to one wallet and 1,208 Bitcoin to another. Both addresses have stayed inactive since, which analysts say points to an internal reorganization rather than a sale.

Crypto watchers said similar transfers in the past were later linked to Coinbase Prime, a custody service for institutional clients. In July, SpaceX also moved about $153 million worth of Bitcoin after three years of dormancy. That MOVE turned out to be part of a storage update, not a liquidation.

After this latest shift, SpaceX still holds about 5,790 Bitcoin, valued at around $625 million. Together with Tesla ($ TSLA), which owns 11,509 Bitcoin worth around $1.24 billion, Musk-linked firms now control close to $2.1 billion in Bitcoin holdings.

Tension Between Musk and NASA Leadership

While SpaceX managed its crypto, Musk also found himself in a new public dispute over NASA’s leadership. On social media, he criticized NASA’s acting administrator, Sean Duffy, calling him “Sean Dummy” and questioning his fitness for the job.

Duffy, who also leads the U.S. Transportation Department, was appointed in July by President TRUMP after the White House withdrew support for Jared Isaacman, a SpaceX astronaut and Musk ally. The two men are now seen as rivals for the permanent NASA role.

The clash followed Duffy’s comment that SpaceX had fallen behind on its work to build a new lunar lander for the Artemis program. NASA relies on SpaceX to deliver that vehicle by 2027, though the company has faced test delays with its Starship rocket. Musk replied that SpaceX is moving faster than other aerospace firms, and Duffy answered that great companies should not fear a challenge. The exchange drew wide attention because NASA is deeply dependent on SpaceX to send astronauts to the International Space Station.

NASA has asked SpaceX to submit new plans by October 29 to speed up the lunar lander project. Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin (LMT) are also working on their own lander designs, which could compete for later missions.

Outlook

The latest week highlighted both sides of Musk’s empire: bold financial moves and heated public exchanges. SpaceX continues to play a central role in NASA’s space plans, even as its founder takes shots at the agency’s leadership. At the same time, Musk’s companies remain among the largest private holders of Bitcoin, giving investors one more reason to watch his next move.

By using TipRanks’ Comparison Tool, we’ve assembled and compared all the notable defense and aerospace stocks. It’s a great way to gain a broader perspective on each stock and the industry as a whole.