Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., sold over $733 million worth of company stock in the first quarter of 2025—just weeks before former U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping reciprocal tariffs on April 2, according to a Bloomberg report citing data from Washington Services.
Zuckerberg offloaded approximately 1.1 million shares between January and March through a pre-arranged 10b5-1 trading plan established in August 2024. The transactions were executed via the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative and its affiliated foundation.
The timing of these sales coincided with a broader trend among top U.S. executives divesting sizable equity stakes in anticipation of market turbulence. Trump’s unexpected tariff announcement, which reignited fears of a global trade war, sent shockwaves across the equity markets—affecting tech stocks like Meta and slashing Zuckerberg’s net worth to $178 billion, his lowest this year, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index.
Zuckerberg wasn’t alone. Several other high-profile executives executed massive share sales in Q1 2025, many under the cover of 10b5-1 trading plans—programs designed to avoid allegations of insider trading by scheduling sales in advance.
Safra Catz, CEO of Oracle, sold options worth approximately $705 million in January, cashing in when Oracle shares peaked at $180.
Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks, sold 2.36 million shares for over $432 million, bringing total 2025 sales to $565 million.
Max de Groen, director at Nutanix and Bain Capital partner, offloaded 5.5 million shares for around $410 million.
Chuck Davis, Axis Capital director and co-CEO of Stone Point Capital, sold 4.3 million shares for just under $400 million.
Stephen Cohen, President of Palantir, sold 4.06 million shares worth $337 million as Palantir stock surged 100% in early 2025.
Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO, sold over $265 million in shares across February and April, pushing total sales beyond a quarter-billion dollars.
Eric Lefkofsky, CEO of Tempus AI, divested over 4 million shares worth $231.5 million through a scheduled plan.
Ted Sarandos, Co-CEO of Netflix, sold nearly $195 million in stock under a long-term 10b5-1 plan extending through 2026.
Travis Boersma, Dutch Bros co-founder, sold 2.5 million shares in February for $189.6 million over five days.
While many of these transactions were legally executed under pre-established trading plans, the timing—preceding a geopolitical event that roiled global markets—has reignited scrutiny around insider sales and regulatory loopholes.
Critics argue that despite the legality of 10b5-1 plans, their timing and flexibility may still enable executives to act on non-public foresight about future volatility.