The special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) that rose dramatically before crashing spectacularly as the pandemic era ended are mounting a resurgence under the Trump administration.
SPACs accounted for roughly a third of all new US IPOs this year, a sharp turn from the post-Covid slump triggered by a combination of increased regulatory scrutiny, rising interest rates, and the widespread skepticism that ensued. Many deals unraveled, and sponsors were forced to return capital to their investors.
The latest IPO is New America Acquisition I Corp. Shares rose by 4% on Thursday, Dec. 4. The company, backed by Preident Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr., raised raised $300 million at $10 per share. The blank-check company aims to pursue merger targets focused on revitalizing domestic manufacturing, expanding innovation ecosystems, and strengthening critical supply chains, according to a securities filing.
Many of the newly formed vehicles target sectors aligned with “America First” priorities, including cryptocurrency, nuclear technology and quantum computing. Still, renewed enthusiasm reflects broader market conditions.
Optimism grew after the Federal Reserve delivered its second rate cut of the year in October, lowering borrowing costs for companies that rely heavily on upfront investment. This led to 194 total formations as of mid-November, exceeding the combined total of the previous three years.
SPACs—shell companies that raise money through IPOs with the promise to acquire a target business within two years—typically sell units at a fixed price of $10, each consisting of a common share and a fraction of a warrant.
While traditional IPOs often soar on their first day of trading, leaving some retail investors on the sidelines, a well-chosen SPAC target can turn the gamble into a handsome payoff.
Yet, that has hardly been the case for many SPACs. Of the hundreds launched in 2020 and 2021, more than 60% failed to complete mergers, dozens filed for bankruptcy after only brief stints as public companies, and only about a tenth of those that are still listed are trading above their issue price.
Even Trump’s own former SPAC creation, Trump Media, proved volatile after its 2024 debut, spiking to nearly $80 a share before recently reaching new lows of around $10.
Critics remain wary. Regulatory guardrails implemented in January 2024 under the Biden administration required SPACs to disclose sponsor compensation, dilution risks and financial projections with traditional IPO rigor. The Trump-era revival eclipsed those concerns. SPACs are now leaner, but most experts agree that many of these companies would still struggle to go public through the traditional route.
