Dual-Class Share Structure
A corporate governance structure in which a company issues multiple classes of shares with different voting rights, typically with founders holding high-voting-rights shares to retain control.
Core Facts
A dual-class share structure means a company issues two or more classes of common stock with differences in voting rights among the classes, a common design being one vote per share for Class A shares and multiple votes per share for Class B shares.
Meta employs a dual-class share structure in which Class A shares carry 1 vote per share, while Class B shares held by Zuckerberg carry 10 votes per share.
Timeline (last 90 days)
At tech companies, founders or core teams often retain control through "dual-class share structures" (different rights for different share classes): publicly issued shares carry one vote each, while internally held shares may carry ten votes or more each.
The high uncertainty of AI companies' technology roadmaps further amplifies the governance risk under a dual-class share structure.
Dual-class share structures are a common arrangement for Silicon Valley companies to maintain founder control, with Class A shares carrying one vote each and Class B shares carrying ten votes each or even more.
Companies such as Snap and Lyft also have precedents for dual-class share structures.
A dual-class share structure means a company issues two or more classes of common stock with differences in voting rights among the classes, a common design being one vote per share for Class A shares and multiple votes per share for Class B shares.
A dual-class share structure gives shares held by founders voting rights that are multiples of those of ordinary shares, thereby giving them an advantage in shareholder votes.
All Facts (7)
A dual-class share structure means a company issues two or more classes of common stock with differences in voting rights among the classes, a common design being one vote per share for Class A shares and multiple votes per share for Class B shares.
65%VerifiedMeta employs a dual-class share structure in which Class A shares carry 1 vote per share, while Class B shares held by Zuckerberg carry 10 votes per share.
65%UnverifiedAt tech companies, founders or core teams often retain control through "dual-class share structures" (different rights for different share classes): publicly issued shares carry one vote each, while internally held shares may carry ten votes or more each.
50%UnverifiedThe high uncertainty of AI companies' technology roadmaps further amplifies the governance risk under a dual-class share structure.
50%UnverifiedDual-class share structures are a common arrangement for Silicon Valley companies to maintain founder control, with Class A shares carrying one vote each and Class B shares carrying ten votes each or even more.
50%UnverifiedCompanies such as Snap and Lyft also have precedents for dual-class share structures.
50%UnverifiedA dual-class share structure gives shares held by founders voting rights that are multiples of those of ordinary shares, thereby giving them an advantage in shareholder votes.
50%