Elon Musk said he will give one of his SpaceX shares to every child in the United States next year. He announced it on X less than a day after Anthropic unveiled a public benefit fund of its own.
"Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America," Musk wrote. "This will be the first of many."
In an earlier reply to Anthropic's announcement, he wrote:
"I recommend giving the shares directly to the public".
This is what I will be doing
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 19, 2026
Compared to what Anthropic, OpenAI, or any other significant tech company has tried with their own equity, his pledge is a much more direct and literal version of that concept.
At current prices, one share per child would mean about 72 million shares, worth roughly $10.5 billion. The stated aim is to spark interest in space and investing among young people.
What Anthropic committed
Anthropic said Sunday that it will commit 5% of its shares to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, subject to stockholder approval. The board may add 2% for every 50% increase in the company's value above a set baseline that has yet to be disclosed, CNBC reported.
We’re committing a portion of Anthropic’s shares to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new wholly owned entity dedicated entirely to the public benefit.
— Anthropic (@AnthropicAI) October 18, 2026
It will start off with 5% of our shares. For every 50% increase in the company’s value over a set baseline, we can…
The company says roughly 20% of its shares are now committed to the public good once earlier pledges are counted. Its co-founders have pledged to donate 80% of their equity, and around half of its employees donate part of theirs through a matching program.
The fund will be a wholly owned LLC rather than a traditional nonprofit, which Anthropic says allows flexibility between different forms of giving. No equity held by the LLC can go to lobbying or political donations in the U.S. or overseas.
Anthropic has already committed $200 million to study AI's effects, and said "given the pace of AI progress, bolder approaches may be needed." An August Pew Research Center report found that 71% of adults think AI will lead to fewer U.S. jobs over the next two years.
Anthropic is preparing for a potentially record-breaking IPO as soon as November. At a $2 trillion debut valuation, the 5% stake would be worth around $100 billion, the outlet calculated.
What Musk has not explained
Musk did not explain who would qualify, how shares would be distributed, how the plan would be funded, or when it would begin.
One term in SpaceX's IPO could matter. Under SpaceX's IPO prospectus, Musk and other insiders are subject to a 366-day lock-up. By my count, that runs into mid-June 2027. By my count, that runs into mid-June 2027. Neither of Musk's posts addresses how it would apply to a gift.
A narrower precedent exists. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell donated 2 million shares in July for children ages 11 to 17 in low-income areas. Musk's post sets no age or income limit.
Where SPCX trades
SpaceX listed on Nasdaq under the ticker SPCX on June 12 at $135 a share, a debut that raised about $75 billion and implied a valuation of roughly $1.77 trillion. Now it's trading around $146, according to Google Finance data.
The stock climbed as high as the $220s before falling back, and traded between $145 and $165 through September and October.
Forbes estimated Musk's net worth at $908 billion as of October 19.
Roman Zaika
Disclaimer: All materials on this site are for informational purposes only. None of the material should be interpreted as investment advice. Cryptocurrency investments involve significant risk of loss. Please note that, despite the nature of much of the material created and hosted on this website, HODL FM operates as a media and informational platform, not a provider of financial advisory services. The opinions of authors and other contributors are their own and should not be taken as financial advice. If you require advice, HODL FM strongly recommends contacting a qualified industry professional.
