The US Government Is Now a Shareholder in 26 Companies

Since January 2025, the US government has taken equity stakes in 26 companies across nine sectors with $181 billion remaining to deploy out of its $205 billion legal ceiling, effectively operating as a sovereign wealth fund. The government's approach has shifted from traditional grants to a three-pronged strategy including direct equity ownership (such as a 15% stake in MP Materials and 9.9% in Intel), grants and loans, and guaranteed purchase agreements that create "national champion" structures. With nine quantum computing companies added in a single week in May 2026, the key question is which sectors will receive government investment next.