A Surge of Millionaires from SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic IPOs... U.S. Expects a 'Donation Tsunami'

by Kim Seungwook

Published 16 Jun.2026 08:51(KST)

Philanthropy Sector Expects Influx of Funds from Successive IPOs

Seven Anthropic Founders Pledge to Donate 80% of Their Wealth

"Millennials Expected to Spend on Climate, Education, and Inequality"

The successive initial public offerings (IPOs) of SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic are expected to channel massive donations into the U.S. philanthropy sector.

SpaceX executives and guests celebrate at the Nasdaq MarketSite balcony in New York, USA, during the company's initial public offering (IPO) on the 12th (local time). Photo by Reuters Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News, citing the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on June 14 (local time), "With the listing of these companies, a host of new millionaires and billionaires have emerged overnight, and a significant portion of that wealth could flow into the philanthropic sector."

Among the three, SpaceX has already debuted on the stock market on June 12 with a market capitalization of about $2 trillion, and both OpenAI and Anthropic are preparing to go public within the year. According to WSJ, discussions have already begun among employees and executives at SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic regarding how much to donate and to which causes, while charitable organizations and fundraising groups are moving swiftly to seize the opportunity.

Charities hope that these potential donors will emerge not just as individuals seeking to reduce their tax burdens, but as a new class of philanthropists with a strong commitment to giving. Adam Nash, co-founder and CEO of the donor-advised fund (DAF) service provider Daffy, stated, "Tens of billions, and possibly hundreds of billions of dollars, will flow into the philanthropic sector after these IPOs. We are witnessing the creation of enormous wealth." Daffy is known as a platform used by OpenAI and Anthropic employees for making donations.

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

The OpenAI Foundation, which owns a 26% stake in OpenAI, is considered a prime beneficiary of this wave of giving. The market estimates that when OpenAI goes public, this stake could be worth about $180 billion (approximately KRW 274 trillion), more than twice the size of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's endowment. The foundation has pledged to provide at least $1 billion (about KRW 1.5 trillion) over the year following the IPO to support disease treatment and life sciences research. Last December, it also donated $40.5 million (about KRW 61.6 billion) to 208 nonprofit organizations in the United States.

The founders of Anthropic have also announced plans for large-scale donations. In January, Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, Daniela Amodei, President, and five other co-founders each pledged to donate at least 80% of their personal wealth. With individual net worths estimated at about $3.7 billion (approximately KRW 5.6 trillion), the pledged "at least 80%" amounts to roughly $10 billion (about KRW 15.2 trillion) based on Anthropic's current valuation.

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic. Reuters Yonhap News

CEO Amodei has repeatedly highlighted the issue of wealth polarization, warning against concentrations of wealth that could destabilize society. In his essay from last January, he emphasized, "Anthropic employees have individually pledged to donate company stock valued at billions of dollars at current prices, and the company has committed to support matching donations accordingly."

In recent years, Anthropic has operated a program in which, when employees donate their equity, the company matches the donation by up to four times. Currently, the company offers a 1-to-1 matching donation, up to 25% of the value of equity received by employees.

The WSJ noted, "Unlike wealthy donors of the past, who typically gave to their alma maters, churches, or local nonprofits, millennial donors are expected to direct their money toward addressing social issues such as climate change, education, and wealth inequality."