Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has announced plans to give every child in the United States one share of his aerospace company, SpaceX, next year.

The proposed giveaway could be worth approximately $10.7 billion if implemented as outlined.Musk made the announcement on Monday through his X account, writing, “Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America. This will be the first of many.”

SpaceX, valued at about $2 trillion, reportedly made its stock market debut in June in what was described as the largest initial public offering (IPO) in history. The company’s shares closed at around $146 on Friday.

With approximately 73 million Americans under the age of 18, according to the US Census Bureau, distributing one share to each child at that price would cost roughly $10.7 billion. However, Musk has yet to provide details on how the plan would work, when the distribution would begin or which children would be eligible.

The proposal comes amid growing efforts to help young Americans build financial security from an early age. Recently, the US Treasury Department enrolled millions of children in the Trump Accounts programme, a savings and investment initiative that offers eligible children born between 2025 and 2028 a one-time government contribution of $1,000.

Musk’s announcement also follows a recent move by artificial intelligence company Anthropic, which revealed plans to allocate at least five per cent of its shares to a Public Benefit Fund. Based on the company’s latest private valuation, the stake is estimated to be worth $48 billion.

The proposed fund is expected to support social causes through donations to non-profit organisations and direct payments to selected groups. Anthropic also suggested that the initiative could help address some of the economic challenges associated with artificial intelligence, including potential job losses.

Reacting to Anthropic’s announcement, Musk encouraged the company to distribute its shares directly to the public, adding, “This is what I will be doing.”

Both developments come at a time when major technology companies are facing increasing scrutiny over artificial intelligence safety, concerns about possible widespread job displacement and the environmental impact of the enormous data centres required to power AI systems.

If Musk’s proposal goes ahead, it could become one of the most significant corporate share giveaways ever announced, potentially giving millions of American children a direct stake in one of the world’s most valuable space companies. For now, however, the billionaire has yet to release the details needed to turn the announcement into reality