SpaceX insiders will get to sell shares earlier than usual after the IPO

When most companies go public, they follow a simple rule: insiders can’t sell their shares for 180 days after the IPO. SpaceX is taking an unusual approach that could allow pre-IPO investors to sell sooner.

The company built in a series of release valves that allow insiders to sell portions of their stock in the weeks and months after the IPO. This phased approach to insider selling accomplishes a few things. It prevents potential pressure on the stock when a lock-up is lifted and everyone can sell at once. And perhaps, even more noteworthy: It also could increase the float – or shares available to trade – sooner, which has implications for faster inclusion in the Nasdaq 100.