CryptoSlate
Elon Musk pledged to distribute 72 million SpaceX shares to American children in 2027, a proposed gift valued at about $10.5 billion using the company's Oct. 16 share price of $146.03. Anthropic, meanwhile, proposed dedicating 5% of its equity to a public-benefit fund, worth about $100 billion at the company's stated valuation of roughly $2 trillion. Together, the plans could direct $110.5 billion toward broader public benefit.
Why it matters
The proposals put two approaches to sharing AI-driven corporate wealth side by side: direct ownership for children through Musk's planned distribution, and a company-backed fund for charitable giving and other public-benefit initiatives at Anthropic. The company says its fund could address AI-related job displacement. Including existing employee and founder pledges, Anthropic estimates roughly 20% of its equity would be dedicated to public benefit.
Musk said the SpaceX shares would be distributed through Trump Accounts, a federally established investment program for children. Treasury rules introduced in September allow qualifying publicly traded shares to be contributed to such accounts, where donated stock generally must remain invested for five years or until the beneficiary's designated growth period ends. The process for determining eligibility and transferring shares has not been specified for every child covered by the pledge.
Market impact
Musk's proposed gift would come from his existing holdings, not newly issued SpaceX stock. He directly owns about 4.8 billion shares, according to an August securities filing; beneficial holdings rise to 6.4 billion when unvested awards and stock options are included. Distributing 72 million shares would reduce his directly held position by about 1.5%.
The value to recipients would depend on future performance. Kraken executive Nick Percoco estimated that a $146 share could reach about $1,800 to $8,100 over 18 years under annual growth assumptions of 15% to 25%, but those projections assume uninterrupted appreciation.
Frequently asked questions
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How much could Musk's proposed SpaceX share distribution be worth?
The 72 million shares were valued at about $10.5 billion using SpaceX's Oct. 16 closing price of $146.03 per share.
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How does Anthropic's proposed public-benefit allocation work?
Anthropic proposed dedicating 5% of its equity to a public-benefit fund. At its stated valuation of roughly $2 trillion, that share would be worth about $100 billion, subject to shareholder approval.
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Would Musk's planned SpaceX distribution dilute existing investors?
The pledge would draw on Musk's existing SpaceX holdings rather than newly issued shares. Distributing 72 million shares would reduce his directly held position by about 1.5%.
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What are Trump Accounts' rules for donated shares?
Treasury rules allow qualifying publicly traded shares to be contributed directly. Donated stock generally must remain invested for five years or until the beneficiary's designated growth period ends, whichever comes first.
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Are the projected future values of the SpaceX shares guaranteed?
No. The projections assume uninterrupted annual appreciation, and SpaceX's share price could decline. The value would also depend on how long each recipient holds the shares.
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