5G Launching from Space... AST SpaceMobile Gains 2 Trillion Won in Market Cap

AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ: ASTS), a space-based communications company, closed at $99.92—up 5.29%—approximately KRW 130,000. Its market capitalization swelled to about $29.2 billion (KRW 39 trillion), a one-day increase of roughly $1.6 billion (KRW 2.2 trillion), while volume topped 8.86 million shares.

India’s ISRO recently launched the next-generation BlueBird Block-2 communications satellite into low Earth orbit aboard its LVM3-M6 rocket. This satellite is expected to begin commercial operations shortly, directly delivering 4G and 5G space-based connectivity to standard smartphones. AST SpaceMobile plans to deploy dozens more satellites by 2026 to achieve global coverage and monetize its network under existing global carrier agreements.

Headquartered in Texas, AST SpaceMobile is building a space-based cellular broadband network that allows ordinary smartphones to connect directly to satellites without additional hardware. Partnering with AT&T, Vodafone, Verizon, and Bell Canada, the company targets a 2026 commercial launch. As a result, AST SpaceMobile has become a leading space-communications thematic stock, with its share price exhibiting significant volatility around major satellite launches and carrier contract announcements.