Skip to navigationSkip to main contentSkip to right columnADVERTISEMENTRich DupreySat, June 20, 2026 at 4:44 PM GMT+2 5 min readQuick ReadRocket Lab joins the Nasdaq-100 on June 22, beating SpaceX by weeks and triggering automatic buying from hundreds of billions in index-tracking funds.Rocket Lab trades 30% off its recent high yet remains up 53% year-to-date, while SpaceX's IPO valuation already prices in years of future success.Rocket Lab's Space Systems segment now generates the majority of revenue, spanning satellites, defense contracts, and components rather than just launch services.Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Rocket Lab didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.Space investing is entering a new phase. SpaceX's (NASDAQ:SPCX) blockbuster IPO quickly became the largest and one of the most anticipated public listings in market history, prompting the Nasdaq exchange to revise its inclusion rules to speed the company's path into its major indexes.3DSculptor / iStock via Getty ImagesThose rule changes will likely accomplish their goal. SpaceX appears on track to join the Nasdaq-100 in early July, bringing automatic buying from index funds and ETFs that track the benchmark. Yet despite all the attention surrounding SpaceX, it won't be the first space stock in the Nasdaq-100. In fact, another will enter the index beginning Monday. And for investors looking to buy a space stock today, it looks like the better choice.Rocket Lab Gets There FirstNasdaq's decision to fast-track newly listed mega-cap companies was widely viewed as a response to the unprecedented size of the SpaceX IPO. The move ensures it won't have to wait through the traditional seasoning period of three months or one full quarter of trading before becoming eligible for inclusion.But while SpaceX may be the reason the rules changed, Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) is the company benefiting first. Nasdaq selected the space stock on June 11 to join the Nasdaq-100, along with Nebius Group (NASDAQ:NBIS), CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV), Teradyne (NASDAQ:TER), and Astera Labs (NASDAQ:ALAB).Act now: the analyst who called NVIDIA in 2010 just named his top 10 AI stocks — and Rocket Lab didn't make the cut. Grab the names FREE today.Inclusion matters because index-tracking funds are required to buy shares. According to Nasdaq data, hundreds of billions of dollars track the benchmark directly or indirectly. That creates immediate demand for stocks entering the index.For Rocket Lab, that buying pressure could provide a short-term tailwind. Yet the real investment case goes much deeper than index membership.The Numbers Favor Rocket LabRocket Lab's biggest challenge entering 2026 was valuation. Shares climbed rapidly and reached a 52-week high of $151 in late May before retreating nearly 30%. That pullback has changed the risk-reward equation.Terms and Privacy PolicyEU DSA contactPrivacy & Cookie SettingsMore Info