Elon Musk dropped a headline‑shattering promise on Twitter: he will hand out one SpaceX share to each of the 72 million children in the United States, a move valued at roughly $10.5 billion based on current share prices.
Business Insider calculated the figure by multiplying the 72 million eligible recipients by the latest pre‑tax valuation of a single SpaceX share, which sits around ₹8.75 lakh per share. Musk, who owns nearly half the company, would therefore be transferring a chunk of his stake worth close to 1.1% of the firm’s total equity.
The announcement comes as SpaceX remains a private juggernaut with a post‑valuation of about ₹3.5 trillion, the highest for a U.S. aerospace company after its last funding round. Analysts note that a public distribution of shares could trigger a temporary dip in the company’s implied value, as liquidity constraints and regulatory scrutiny loom.
Musk’s net worth, pegged at $908.5 billion by Forbes, would take a hit of about $10.5 billion, a 1.2% dent that could influence his ability to fund future ventures or leverage his ownership in other enterprises such as Tesla.
While no official SpaceX statement has been released, insiders say the company’s legal team is already drafting a framework to manage the transfer of shares to minors, including custodial accounts and tax implications. The move could set a precedent for private equity firms to engage in large‑scale philanthropic gestures, potentially reshaping investor expectations for ESG commitments.
Looking ahead, investors will watch for the next funding round or any public offering plans, as well as how regulators will respond to a mass distribution of private shares. Musk hinted that this is "the first of many" initiatives, hinting at further moves that could recalibrate the private aerospace market’s valuation dynamics.