Musk says he will give SpaceX shares to U.S. children next year

Musk’s announcement and the unanswered questions

According to International Business Times AU, Elon Musk said Monday that he plans to give one of his SpaceX shares to every child in the United States next year. He posted the message on X shortly before 4 a.m. Eastern time and wrote, “This will be the first of many.” The outlet says Musk did not explain how the shares would be distributed, who would qualify, or the exact timing of the handout. It also says he did not publicly answer questions about whether the offer would apply to all children living in the U.S. or only to citizens.

Estimated value of the pledge

The article says the size of the gift depends on SpaceX’s share price and the number of children who receive shares. It reports that SpaceX shares were trading at about $146 recently and that there are roughly 70 million children under 18 in the United States. On that basis, the pledge would be worth more than $10 billion. The article says USA Today estimated the value at about $10.5 billion, while Axios put it at roughly $11 billion. It adds that Axios said the donation would be nearly twice Michael Dell’s record-setting gift to the federal government’s new investment accounts for children.

Musk’s ownership and SpaceX’s public listing

International Business Times AU reports that the pledge would still represent only a small part of Musk’s wealth. It says he owns more than 6.4 billion SpaceX shares, equal to a 48.4% beneficial stake, according to an August filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The article identifies SpaceX as the rocket and satellite company Musk founded in 2002. It says SpaceX went public in June in one of the largest initial public offerings in history and now includes Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the social media platform X. The listing, according to the article, lifted SpaceX’s market value above $2 trillion and made Musk the world’s first trillionaire, based on wealth trackers.

Link to Anthropic, AI, and Musk’s public remarks

The article says Musk’s announcement came hours after Anthropic said it would commit 5% of its shares to a new public benefit fund on an ongoing basis. Musk replied to Anthropic’s post on X by recommending that the shares be given directly to the public, and he later announced his own SpaceX share pledge, saying he preferred that approach over using an intermediary. It notes that Anthropic competes with xAI in the artificial intelligence industry.

The outlet also says Musk has repeatedly argued that AI and robotics could change the economy so much that work and money may matter less. It reports that he has promoted “universal high income,” which he says would use advanced technology to create abundance for everyone. The article says he has framed the SpaceX pledge as part of that vision and has said in recent exchanges on X that he intended to take steps toward giving away much of his wealth after economist Daron Acemoglu challenged him to do so.

How the plan might work and reaction

The mechanics remain unclear, the article says. One possibility mentioned is using Trump Accounts, a federal program created by President Donald Trump’s administration that sets up investment accounts for children through the Treasury Department and can accept stock donations from wealthy donors. The article adds that Musk gave about $300 million to support Trump’s 2024 campaign, though the two have had public falling-outs since then. It says distributing individual shares to tens of millions of children would raise questions about custody of the shares, whether parents would need to open accounts, and how taxes would be handled.

International Business Times AU also reports that Musk’s philanthropy has mostly run through the Musk Foundation, and that a recent Economist review found much of its giving went to organizations linked to Musk. The article says critics have questioned the foundation before, while Musk has argued that his companies’ work in electric vehicles, space exploration, and AI does more for humanity than traditional charity. Online reaction, according to the outlet, mixed praise with skepticism. Supporters called the idea a bold way to give children a stake in technology and space, while critics questioned whether it would be carried out. The article says Musk has not said when in 2027 the shares would be distributed or whether more details will be released.