Investor list shows China-linked backers and Qatari ties to SpaceX

A businessman with ties to Chinese military contractors was among overseas investors who acquired stakes in SpaceX while it remained private, and an entity linked to the Qatari royal family also took a stake. The new documents come from a private investor list that shed light on which people in countries like China bought into the company and how those purchases were arranged.

SpaceX built much of its business on sensitive US government work, including building spy satellites for the Pentagon. There is no outright ban on Chinese investment in US military contractors, but such investment is heavily regulated; SpaceX barred investors from China and Hong Kong from buying shares in its initial public offering last week due to “regulatory and compliance risks.” The IPO was the largest ever, making Musk the world’s first trillionaire.

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