Reed Hastings Could Get Richer From Anthropic IPO: Here's How Many Shares Netflix Co-Founder Owns
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Reed Hastings may not be a name everyone knows, but he helped start a company used by millions of people around the world.
Hastings co-founded Netflix Inc in 1997 and later served as its CEO and chairman. He is no longer involved in Netflix's daily operations. Now, he is helping Anthropic, an artificial intelligence (AI) company that is preparing to go public.
Here's what Hastings does at Anthropic and how the company's planned initial public offering (IPO) could increase his wealth.
Reed Hastings Now at Anthropic
Anthropic filed its S-1 registration document on Monday. The document shares financial information and other important details about the AI company as it prepares for a highly anticipated IPO.
The filing also explains how much the company's board members are paid and how many shares they own.
Hastings has been a member of Anthropic's board of directors since May 2025.
Anthropic's S-1 filing explains why the company believes Hastings is qualified to serve on its board: "We believe that Mr. Hastings is qualified to serve as a member of our board of directors because of his extensive board experience at major technology companies, his demonstrated commitment to responsible innovation and its societal impact, his deep understanding of technology's transformative potential, and his philanthropic focus on education and AI's impact on humanity," the filing states.
Hastings also serves as Anthropic's Lead Independent Director. In this role, he leads meetings and acts as a link between the company's chairperson and its independent directors.
According to the S-1 filing, Hastings currently owns 9,410 Class A shares of Anthropic. The company has not yet announced the price at which its shares will be sold in the IPO. Estimates suggest Anthropic could have a total market value of $1.5 trillion to $2 trillion.
Hastings owns far fewer shares than Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei, who owns 240,637,980 Class A shares in the company.
However, Hastings is expected to receive more shares for his work on Anthropic's board. He received no compensation for his board service in 2025, but will receive at least $100,000 per year going forward. He could receive more depending on the other board committees he serves on.
Starting in 2027, Hastings will also receive shares as part of his compensation. These shares could be very valuable because of the high value investors place on Anthropic ahead of its IPO.
Reed Hastings Net Worth
Forbes estimates that Hastings is worth $4.2 billion, making him the 1,004th-richest person in the world. Most of his wealth comes from his ownership of Netflix, where he now holds less than a 1% stake.
The Netflix co-founder owns 21.16 million Netflix shares and has options that could allow him to obtain about 16 million more shares.
Hastings has sold Netflix shares in recent years. He may continue selling them as he becomes less involved with the company he helped create.
The Anthropic shares Hastings owns could add to his wealth, depending on how much they are worth. However, it may take time for him to sell those shares easily. Any restrictions on selling shares after the IPO, known as lockup arrangements, could affect when he can sell them.
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