Elon Musk Donates Tesla Shares Worth $100 Million to Charities

Tesla CEO Elon Musk donated 268,000 Tesla shares, valued at approximately $108.2 million based on the stock’s closing price at the time, to undisclosed charities just before the new year, according to a regulatory filing.

This donation continues Musk’s pattern of significant year-end charitable contributions. In 2022, he donated shares worth $1.95 billion, and in 2021, he contributed roughly $5.74 billion to the Musk Foundation, his nonprofit organization.

The filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealed that the shares were part of Musk’s “year-end tax planning” and were donated to unspecified charities, which currently have no plans to sell the donated stock.

The Musk Foundation, which was founded in 2001 by Elon and Kimbal Musk, funds various charitable causes, including renewable energy research, human space exploration, pediatric research, science and engineering education, and the development of safe artificial intelligence to benefit humanity.

Following this donation, Musk retains about 12.8% ownership of Tesla. With an estimated net worth of $408.3 billion, he continues to hold the title of the world’s wealthiest individual, according to Forbes.

While the filing did not specify which charities received the shares, it did note that these organizations have no intention of selling the donated stock in the near future.

Tesla’s Sales Decline and Stock Drop

The news of Musk’s donation came alongside Tesla’s first annual sales decline in a decade. On January 2, 2025, Tesla’s stock dropped by 6.1%, closing at $379.28. This decline followed a broader market downturn, with stocks falling and the dollar reaching a two-year high.

Tesla’s annual sales in 2024 saw a 1.1% decrease, with the company delivering 1.79 million vehicles, falling short of Wall Street’s expectations. The drop has been attributed to increasing competition from Chinese automaker BYD and a slowdown in global demand.

Musk has not yet commented publicly on the donation or the recent sales decline.