Billionaire businessman Elon Musk has pledged to give every child in the United States one of his SpaceX shares in 2027, announcing a proposed giveaway that could transfer billions of dollars in stock to millions of young Americans.
Musk made the announcement on Monday, October 19, in a post on X, following his criticism of artificial intelligence company Anthropic’s decision to channel a portion of its shares into a public benefit fund.
“Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America,” he wrote, indicating that further distributions would follow. He did not disclose the eligibility requirements, a starting date or how the shares would reach beneficiaries. tollbit.forbes.com
The proposed donation could be worth approximately $10.5 billion, based on an estimated 72 million children in the United States and a SpaceX share price of about $146 at Friday’s market close. Its eventual value would depend on the number of children covered and the company’s share price when any transfers take place.
Musk’s announcement followed an exchange over how technology companies should distribute the financial gains generated by their businesses. Responding to Anthropic’s initiative, he advocated giving shares directly to members of the public and indicated that he intended to adopt that approach himself.
Anthropic had announced on Sunday that, subject to shareholder approval, it would commit an initial 5 per cent of its shares to the newly established Anthropic Public Benefit Fund. The company said the fund could support charitable organisations or make direct distributions to selected populations.
Under the proposed structure, a further two percentage points could be added to the fund’s stake for every 50 per cent increase in Anthropic’s value above a specified baseline, at the board’s discretion. The company said further details about the fund’s governance and structure would be released in the coming months. anthropic.com
Musk’s pledge also follows an earlier commitment by SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell and her husband to donate SpaceX shares to more than two million children through the American investment savings initiative known as Trump Accounts.
However, Musk has not said whether his proposed distribution would use those accounts or operate through a separate arrangement. Questions also remain about the qualifying age range and how shares would be held on behalf of children, leaving the practical arrangements for the promised giveaway unresolved.
