On June 20, 2026, Tesla CEO Elon Musk fully exercised his rights under the company's 2018 CEO compensation plan, acquiring 304 million shares of Tesla stock (TSLA) with an estimated market value of $116 billion. This action marks the culmination of the long-term performance award plan tied to Tesla's market capitalization and operational milestones.
A key detail of the acquisition is that the newly acquired shares are subject to a lock-up period and cannot be sold by Musk until 2028. This restriction underscores a long-term commitment and prevents any immediate selling pressure on the stock from this large tranche of shares. The event highlights the immense scale of the compensation package, which was one of the largest in corporate history, and reinforces Musk's significant stake in the company's future performance.