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The recent initial public offering (IPO) of Space Exploration Technologies Corp. has resulted in a significant financial gain for its former employees, while ex-staff of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are reportedly unhappy over virtually worthless stock options.

SpaceX’s valuation has surpassed $2 trillion, creating millionaires across the company, including engineers, technicians, and everyone who received stock options as employees.

On the other hand, former employees of Blue Origin have expressed disappointment over the company’s unusual equity approach to Business Insider. The stock options program at Blue Origin only promised a payout if the company went public or was sold, and these options expired if these events did not occur within a decade.

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A former Blue Origin employee who declined an offer from SpaceX said stock options were a major recruiting incentive for Blue Origin, but only later realized how restrictive the exercise rules were. Former employees also said frequent movement between Blue Origin and SpaceX fueled comparisons of the companies’ equity programs.

Despite the financial disparity between the two companies, some former Blue Origin employees have stated that the company offered higher salaries, better work-life balance, and more job security for engineers than SpaceX during the late 2010s. 

Blue Origin’s Stock Option Dilemma

Unlike other pre-IPO companies such as Stripe and OpenAI, which regularly let employees sell vested shares through secondary sales, Blue Origin has not offered similar liquidity opportunities, leaving many former employees with stock options they cannot currently cash out and that are effectively worthless.

In a 2016 email, Jeff Bezos cautioned Blue Origin employees to treat their stock options as “long-term lottery tickets” and not rely on them for financial planning. A decade later, that warning has proved prophetic, as many options have expired without a liquidity event, such as an IPO or company sale, required for employees to cash them out.

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Bezos Takes On Musk On Several Fronts

SpaceX completed the largest IPO in history, debuting at a nearly $1.78 trillion valuation before surging 19% on its first trading day to finish with a market value above $2 trillion.

Weeks before SpaceX’s IPO, Blue Origin suffered a rocket explosion during testing, despite Jeff Bezos recently signaling the company was ready to raise outside capital as it sought to narrow the gap with SpaceX.

However, following its recent NASA lunar contract wins, Blue Origin, on Wednesday, highlighted its Mars ambitions by unveiling the Blue Ring Mars Telecommunications Orbiter. CEO Dave Limp said the spacecraft is designed to provide propulsion and Earth communications while simplifying mission requirements for orbiters and surface assets on Mars.

Besides SpaceX, Jeff Bezos is intensifying competition with Elon Musk on the autonomous vehicle front. Amazon.com Inc.-owned Zoox unveiled an updated Robotaxi with improved passenger comfort, a better touchscreen, and enhanced audio while retaining the same hardware. The company also said it can now produce more than 100 Robotaxis.

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Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

BluSky AI

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence is creating significant demand for data centers, power, and compute infrastructure. BluSky AI is building modular AI data centers designed to support next-generation AI workloads while aiming to reduce deployment timelines compared to traditional facilities. For investors looking beyond AI software and applications, the company offers exposure to the infrastructure layer that makes artificial intelligence possible.

ARK7

Residential real estate has historically provided investors with income potential and long-term appreciation, but direct ownership can be expensive and time-consuming. ARK7 enables investors to buy fractional shares of rental properties, offering access to potential rental income and real estate exposure without property management responsibilities. By lowering the barrier to entry, the platform gives investors another way to diversify beyond traditional stocks and bonds.

Immersed

Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.

Miso Robotics

Robotics and automation are becoming increasingly important tools for businesses facing labor shortages and rising operating costs. Miso Robotics develops AI-powered kitchen technology that is already being deployed in restaurant environments, with products designed to help operators improve efficiency and streamline operations. As artificial intelligence expands beyond software and into real-world applications, the company is positioning itself at the intersection of robotics, automation and the future of food service.

Vinovest 

Fine wine and rare whiskey have historically moved independently of the stock market, making them a compelling alternative asset. Vinovest manages authenticated, insured portfolios of investment-grade wine and whiskey starting at $5,000 — sourcing, storage, and insurance all handled for you.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

EquityMultiple 

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process. 

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

American Hartford Gold

American Hartford Gold is a precious metals dealer that helps clients buy physical gold and silver coins and bars, either for direct delivery or within self-directed precious metals IRAs. The company’s services include gold and silver IRAs, IRA rollovers, and home delivery of bullion, giving investors a way to use tangible metals to diversify portfolios and seek protection against inflation and market volatility.

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream.

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