• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Current price of oil as of June 16, 2026

2

'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream

3

Cursor’s 25-year-old CEO is a former Google intern who just cemented a $60 billion deal with SpaceX

1

Current price of oil as of June 16, 2026

2

'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream

3

Cursor’s 25-year-old CEO is a former Google intern who just cemented a $60 billion deal with SpaceX
SuccessPersonal Finance

Mark Cuban called for workers to get a slice of their employers’ $33 trillion success—now, Samsung is awarding shares to staff for the first time

By
Jessica Coacci
Jessica Coacci
and
Orianna Rosa Royle
Orianna Rosa Royle
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jessica Coacci
Jessica Coacci
and
Orianna Rosa Royle
Orianna Rosa Royle
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 16, 2025, 11:02 AM ET
Worker happy getting news on phone
Paychecks aren’t enough anymore, employees want ownership in stocks. Now at Samsung, employees are getting a piece of the company's soaring $448 billion pie. Yaroslav Olieinikov-Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Billionaire Mark Cuban says it’s time workers got a cut of their company’s success—as executives see their wealth hit record highs. And luckily for Samsung employees, that shift is happening for the first time. 

Recommended Video

The global tech giant will now award shares and bonuses based on stock price to its employees outside of just corner offices as a part of its latest move in salary adjustments. 

Earlier this year, Samsung decided to give some of its top executives’ bonuses in stock instead of all cash, resulting in high-pay for its leaders. Now, they’re sharing the wealth with all employees. 

Before this, the only other time regular workers ever got stock was when Samsung gave everyone 30 shares once as part of a union deal. Other than that one-time gift, this is the first time the company is offering stock awards to all staff. And the shift could mean a major payday for staff outside the C-suite.

Samsung staff could gain $20,000 worth of stock over 3 years 

Under the new program, the firm will grant payouts to staff over three years based on Samsung’s stock price starting this October through October 2028, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg. It will also offer workers the option to get up to half of that payout in shares instead of cash, the memo outlined. 

A separate report from South Korea’s main public broadcasting service, KBS, outlined that Samsung will allocate between 200 and 300 shares to each employee over the three years, depending on their career level. 

With a market cap of about $448 billion, Samsung’s shares are up 44% year-to-date. Last week, the company closed at an all-time high, after investors were optimistic on the future of AI chips and confidence in its conventional memory business. At the current share price (around $68.84), 200 to 300 shares would equate to between $13,768 and $20,652.

The shift echoes what billionaire entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban has been fighting for. Earlier this week, he expressed his frustration to employers about how wealth gains from soaring stock prices are only being made at the top. 

Responding to a recent Oxfam report about billionaire wealth increasing by $33 trillion since 2015, Cuban posted on X that the reason behind the surge is that “the stock market has gone straight up.”

“You know who is funding the increase, particularly lately? Retail investors. 401ks,” Cuban wrote. “The better question is, why are we not giving incentives to companies to require them to give shares in their companies to all employees, at the same percentage of cash earnings as the CEO?”

Fortune has contacted Samsung for comment.

Paychecks aren’t enough anymore, employees want ownership 

Part of Samsung’s move could be dissatisfaction with the way competitors are offering compensation packages. For example, rival chipmaker SK hynix Inc., a major provider to tech giant Nvidia, agreed to give 10% of its yearly profits to employee bonuses. The move by the tech giant set a more transparent bonus system in South Korea’s tech industry. 

Since then, Samsung’s labor unions want a piece of the wealth too. Pushing for something similar, they want the company to give 15% of its annual profits directly to a bonus pool for employees, according to Bloomberg’s report.

Compared to other tech giants, while many companies already offer stock ownership or profit-sharing, many cap what employees can get.

For example, the tech company Intel has an enrollment period twice a year, where employees buy stock up to 15% of their salary at a 15% discount—or a maximum of $21,250 a year. Meanwhile, tech giant Adobe offers employees to contribute up to 25% of their salaries (with a maximum of $21,250 per year) at a 15% discount. 

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Authors
By Jessica CoacciSuccess Fellow

Jessica Coacci is a reporting fellow at Fortune where she covers success. Prior to joining Fortune, she worked as a producer at CNN and CNBC.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Orianna Rosa Royle
By Orianna Rosa RoyleAssociate Editor, Success
Instagram iconLinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Orianna Rosa Royle is the Success associate editor at Fortune, overseeing careers, leadership, and company culture coverage. She was previously the senior reporter at Management Today, Britain's longest-running publication for CEOs. 

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Success

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Success

Aravind Srinivas, co-founder and chief executive officer of Perplexity
SuccessCareers
‘I have nothing to lose’: Perplexity CEO says fear of failure is ‘the stupidest thing’ holding you back
By Emma BurleighJune 17, 2026
1 hour ago
Kevin O’Leary slams work-life balance, saying it’s complete nonsense and founders should work ’25 hours a day, 8 days a week’
Successwork-life balance
Kevin O’Leary slams work-life balance, saying it’s complete nonsense and founders should work ’25 hours a day, 8 days a week’
By Sydney LakeJune 17, 2026
1 hour ago
Steve Ballmer
SuccessCareers
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer once mocked Google Chrome, calling it a ‘rounding error’—Google CEO says the jab became fuel to keep going
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
1 hour ago
y
Arts & EntertainmentHollywood
Meet the YouTubers remaking Hollywood, one Gen Z box-office smash at a time
By The Associated PressJune 17, 2026
2 hours ago
Thasunda Brown Duckett sitting in front of a podcast microphone
SuccessFortune 500: Titans and Disruptors of Industry
A 76-year-old was about to lose his entire $3 million retirement to a scam. TIAA’s AI caught it—but a human prevented disaster
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
8 hours ago
nuri
SuccessImmigration
The man who lived through the fall of the Soviet Union and helped wealthy Chinese move to Canada sees a familiar picture in America
By Nick LichtenbergJune 17, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Current price of oil as of June 16, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 16, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 16, 2026
1 day ago
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
Success
'Work hard, stay loyal, and the system will reward you': the Boomer credo is a Gen X betrayal and a Millennial pipe dream
By Nick LichtenbergJune 16, 2026
1 day ago
Cursor’s 25-year-old CEO is a former Google intern who just cemented a $60 billion deal with SpaceX
AI
Cursor’s 25-year-old CEO is a former Google intern who just cemented a $60 billion deal with SpaceX
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJune 16, 2026
1 day ago
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
Big Tech
Hundreds of Stanford students walked out of their grad ceremony to protest Google CEO’s commencement speech. It wasn’t all about AI
By Tristan BoveJune 15, 2026
2 days ago
Team USA star Ricardo Pepi grew up in a trailer in El Paso—and his parents pawned their car title to fuel his soccer dream. Now, he’s in the World Cup
Success
Team USA star Ricardo Pepi grew up in a trailer in El Paso—and his parents pawned their car title to fuel his soccer dream. Now, he’s in the World Cup
By Preston ForeJune 15, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, June 16, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Tuesday, June 16, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 16, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.