If the proposed sale is completed in full, Bezos’ holding would decline from about 884 million shares to 869 million shares, or 8.1% of Amazon.
- Founder Jeff Bezos plans to sell 15 million AMZN shares valued at $4.07 billion, with Aug. 3 listed as the approximate sale date.
- Bezos previously sold 25 million shares for nearly $5.7 billion between late June and late July.
- Amazon’s rally followed strong Q2 results as AWS revenue surged 36.7% to $42.2 billion, fueled by strong cloud and AI demand.
Shares of Amazon, Inc. (AMZN) slipped 1% in overnight trading late Monday after the tech giant crossed the $3 trillion market-cap threshold for the first time, as a filing showing founder Jeff Bezos plans to sell nearly $4.1 billion of stock sparked a fresh wave of retail chatter.
Bezos Files To Sell Nearly $4.1B In AMZN Stock
AMZN stock closed more than 4.5% higher at a record on Monday, driven by optimism around its accelerating cloud business and booming AI demand. However, the mood cooled after a fresh regulatory filing revealed that Bezos plans to sell 15 million AMZN shares. The filing valued the proposed sale at $4.07 billion and listed Aug. 3 as the approximate sale date.
The shares were acquired as founder stock in July 1994. The transaction is being carried out under a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted on Nov. 14, 2025, which is well before Amazon’s latest earnings report and Monday’s record-setting rally.
The timing caught Jim Cramer’s attention. “Can’t begrudge Bezos for selling $4 billion shares…but what a buzzkill,” the CNBC host said on X.
How Much Amazon Stock Will Bezos Own?
Bezos held about 884 million Amazon shares after completing his previous 25-million-share sale plan in late July. If the latest proposed disposal is completed in full and there are no other ownership changes, his stake would fall to around 869 million shares, or about 8.1% of Amazon’s 10.79 billion outstanding shares. The remaining stake would still be worth $244 billion at the overnight price.
The latest plan follows a separate program under which Bezos sold 25 million Amazon shares for nearly $5.7 billion between late June and late July. He has unloaded about $50 billion of Amazon stock since 2002, according to Bloomberg data.
Bezos regularly uses prearranged trading plans and has historically directed some of the proceeds toward his other ventures, particularly Blue Origin. The space company is developing the New Glenn rocket and multiple satellite networks, while rebuilding its Cape Canaveral launchpad after a May explosion. Blue Origin was reportedly seeking $10 billion from outside investors at a $130 billion valuation last month, marking the first external capital raise after more than two decades of relying heavily on Bezos’ fortune.
Bezos has also increased his exposure to AI startups. His family office, Bezos Expeditions, participated in five private-company investments in June, including a funding round for Prometheus, an AI engineering startup that Bezos co-founded and co-leads.
AWS Surge Powers Amazon Into $3 Trillion Club
The proposed sale came after Amazon’s second-quarter (Q2) earnings reignited investor enthusiasm around its AI and cloud-computing segments. Revenue climbed 20% to $200.61 billion, beating the $196.47 billion analysts expected. Adjusted earnings of $1.97 per share also topped the consensus estimate of $1.82, while operating income jumped 43% to $27.5 billion.
AWS was the standout. Cloud revenue surged 36.7% to $42.2 billion, marking its strongest growth since 2021 and exceeding expectations of $40.54 billion. The division generated $16.6 billion in operating income, accounting for about 61% of Amazon’s companywide total. CEO Andy Jassy called AWS “booming,” with its annualized revenue run rate reaching $169 billion. Amazon’s chip business, including Trainium AI accelerators and Graviton processors, has also surpassed a $25 billion annual revenue run rate.
How Do Retail Traders Feel About AMZN?
On Stocktwits, retail sentiment for AMZN jumped to ‘extremely bullish’ from ‘bullish’ levels a week ago amid a 500% surge in 24-hour message volumes. Watchers for the ticker have also climbed 0.3% in a week.
One user predicted that Bezos’ shares would be “bought up quickly,” while another said they had taken profits but were hesitant to re-enter while his selling continued.
Another trader said, “AWS acceleration and AI catalyst firing on all cylinders as smart money quietly absorbs liquidity off support for the next big move!”
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So far this year, Amazon’s stock has outperformed all "Magnificent Seven" peers, making it the group's best performer, up about 23%.
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