Musk says he will give every US child one SpaceX share next year
In short
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on X on 19 October (US time) that next year he will give one of his SpaceX shares to every child in the US, calling it the first of many such steps. He gave no plan for timing, eligibility or delivery. Bloomberg estimated the shares would be worth about $10.5 billion.
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SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk said on X on 19 October (US time) that next year he will give one of his SpaceX shares to every child in the US. He described it as the first of many such steps and pinned the post to the top of his X page. Korean outlets reported that the post did not say when the shares would be given, who would qualify or how they would be delivered. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 13 , 16 ]
Bloomberg estimated that giving one share to every US child would take about $10.5 billion. It used a SpaceX price of $146 per share and a US child population of about 72 million, estimated by the Census Bureau. Maeil Business said SpaceX closed at $146.03 on 16 October and that the figure would change with the share price and number of recipients at the time of delivery. Newsis and Dong-A Ilbo used about 73 million children and gave about $10.66 billion, and Kyunghyang Shinmun gave $10.7 billion. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 10 , 12 , 17 ]
Yonhap, citing the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, said Musk's net worth is above $900 billion, with about $700 billion of it in SpaceX shares. Chosun Ilbo said $10.5 billion is about 1.5% of the value of his SpaceX stake. Maeil Business said the plan is to hand over part of shares he already holds rather than raise new cash. Seoul Economic Daily cited a Forbes figure of about $977.2 billion for his net worth. [ 1 , 5 , 9 , 10 ]
The post came after Anthropic said the day before that it would put 5% of its shares into a public-interest fund. Musk replied on X that he recommends giving shares directly to the public. Kyunghyang Shinmun added that he wrote he would do so himself. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 17 ]
Outlets linked the pledge to Trump accounts, the US children's investment accounts. Hankook Ilbo said SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell said in July that she would give one SpaceX share each to more than 2 million children through the accounts, worth about $325 million. Dong-A Ilbo and Maeil Business gave $320 million. Hankook Ilbo said Musk's shares carry a 366-day lock-up under SpaceX's SEC filing, so a transfer could come only after next June, and that the Wall Street Journal analysed that he could donate to the accounts once it ends. Maeil Business said it has not been confirmed that he will use them. [ 10 , 16 , 17 ]
Yonhap, Chosun Ilbo, Kyunghyang Shinmun and Hankook Ilbo quoted Bloomberg as saying Musk has a record of raising ideas that did not materialise or saying afterwards that a proposal was a joke. Chosun Ilbo reported that SpaceX shares rose about 1.5% to around $148 in pre-market trading. AI Times reported that the post passed 480,000 likes and 31,000 comments within 13 hours. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 16 , 19 ]
Why it matters
The pledge would make tens of millions of children SpaceX shareholders if carried out, but Korean outlets stress that no implementation details exist. Several note Bloomberg's remark that Musk has previously floated ideas that did not materialise.
Key facts
- Musk wrote on X on 19 October (US time) that next year he will give one of his SpaceX shares to every child in the US. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 16 ]
- He described the move as the first of many, and pinned the post to the top of his X page. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 16 ]
- Bloomberg put the cost at about $10.5 billion, using a SpaceX price of $146 per share and about 72 million US children estimated by the Census Bureau. [ 5 , 6 , 9 , 10 ]
- Musk did not say when the shares would be given, who would qualify or how they would be delivered. [ 2 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 13 , 14 ]
- The post followed Anthropic's announcement the previous day that it would put 5% of its shares into a public-interest fund; Musk had replied that he recommends giving stock directly to the public. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 17 ]
- SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell earlier announced a stock gift to more than 2 million children through Trump accounts. [ 2 , 10 , 16 , 17 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Musk said on X that next year he will give one SpaceX share to every child in the US, and called it the first of many. [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 16 ]
- The post did not set out how the shares would be distributed, who would be eligible or when. [ 2 , 5 , 7 , 9 , 13 , 14 ]
- Bloomberg estimated the total at about $10.5 billion, based on a $146 share price and about 72 million US children. [ 5 , 6 , 9 , 10 ]
- Musk's post came after Anthropic said it would put 5% of its shares into a public-interest fund, to which he replied that he recommends giving shares directly to the public. [ 5 , 7 , 9 , 10 , 12 , 17 ]
- Shotwell had earlier pledged SpaceX shares for more than 2 million children through Trump accounts. [ 2 , 10 , 16 , 17 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the plan will be carried out Outlets say it is uncertain; Bloomberg noted that Musk has previously raised ideas that did not materialise or said afterwards that a proposal was a joke.
- Whether the shares would go through Trump accounts Maeil Business said this is not confirmed; Dong-A Ilbo said it is mentioned as a possibility; Hankook Ilbo said the Wall Street Journal analysed that Musk could donate to the accounts once his lock-up ends.
- Whether Musk can transfer shares before next June Only Hankook Ilbo reports that SpaceX's SEC filing places a 366-day sale and transfer restriction on his holdings, meaning a transfer would be possible only after next June.
- Size of the child population and of the gift Outlets give about 72 million children and $10.5 billion (Yonhap, Maeil), about 73 million and $10.66 billion (Newsis, Dong-A), and $10.7 billion (Kyunghyang).
- Size and status of Shotwell's gift Hankook Ilbo gives about $325 million, Dong-A Ilbo and Maeil Business $320 million or more; Seoul Economic Daily says the shares were already donated, while other outlets describe a pledge.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Seoul Economic Daily publishes the earliest report in the set on Musk's announcement. [ 1 ]
- Yonhap reports the pledge, the pinned post and the Bloomberg estimate. [ 5 ]
- Newsis reports the pledge as a response to Anthropic's 5% public-interest fund announcement. [ 12 ]
- Hankook Ilbo reports the lock-up on Musk's shares and the possible Trump accounts route. [ 16 ]
- AI Times reports the post had passed 480,000 likes and 31,000 comments 13 hours after posting (20 October). [ 19 ]