Musk says he will give one SpaceX share to each U.S. child

Musk’s pledge

Pulse 2.0 reports that Elon Musk said he will give one SpaceX share to every child in the United States next year. The article says Musk posted the statement on October 19, 2026, and added that it would be the first of several similar actions.

Estimated value of the plan

According to Pulse 2.0, the proposal could be worth about $10.7 billion. The outlet bases that estimate on SpaceX shares valued at $146.03 as of the prior Friday and on an estimated 73 million people under age 18 in the United States. At that valuation, one share for each child would cost about $10.66 billion.

Triggered by Anthropic’s announcement

Pulse 2.0 says Musk’s announcement came in response to Anthropic’s new public benefit initiative. Anthropic said it plans to commit 5% of its shares to the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, a new entity intended to increase its ownership stake as the company’s value rises. In response, Musk said he preferred distributing shares directly to the public and said he would give one share to “every kid in America.”

Unanswered questions and structure

The article says Musk did not give details about how the distribution would work. Pulse 2.0 reports that he did not address who would be eligible, how minors would hold shares, whether there would be limits on selling them, or how the plan would handle administrative and regulatory issues. The article also says Musk suggested the SpaceX effort could be followed by additional initiatives.

Anthropic’s plan

Pulse 2.0 reports that Anthropic’s proposal would be subject to stockholder approval. The company said it would initially commit 5% of its shares to the new fund, with the option of adding another 2% for every 50% increase in the company’s value above a predetermined baseline. Anthropic said that, combined with equity donation commitments already made by founders and employees, about 20% of its shares would be dedicated to public-benefit purposes, with the share potentially rising if valuation milestones are met.

Difference between the two approaches

Pulse 2.0 says Musk’s approach would be different because it would send ownership directly to individuals instead of placing shares in an entity meant to use resources for broader public initiatives.