Elon Musk Donates $100 Million in Tesla Shares to Charities

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has donated 268,000 Tesla shares, valued at approximately $108.2 million, to undisclosed charities, according to a regulatory filing with the SEC. This latest philanthropic act continues Musk's tradition of making substantial year-end donations.

In previous years, Musk made significant contributions, donating Tesla shares worth $1.95 billion in 2022 and $5.74 billion in 2021 to his nonprofit, the Musk Foundation. The foundation, established in 2001, supports renewable energy research, human space exploration, pediatric research, STEM education, and safe artificial intelligence development.

While the specific recipients of the latest donation remain unnamed, the filing noted that the charities have no plans to sell the donated shares at this time.

Despite the donation, Musk retains 12.8% ownership of Tesla, and his net worth stands at $408.3 billion, solidifying his position as the world's richest individual, according to Forbes.

Tesla, however, faced challenges as its stock dropped 6.1% on January 2, 2025, following news of Musk's donation and the company’s first annual sales decline in a decade. Tesla delivered 1.79 million vehicles in 2024, falling short of Wall Street's expectations. Analysts attribute the decline to rising competition from Chinese automakers like BYD and slowing global demand.

Musk has yet to comment publicly on his recent donation or Tesla's sales performance.