Does it stipulate that the billion has to be in cash? What if he trades rides to the ISS for the board members? If it doesn't have to be in cash, then it could cost Musk less than the number of the contract.??

That's some out of the box thinking there. Have you considered working for Musk as his M&A strategist? Just tweet at him until he hires or blocks you.

Not sure if you're serious, but no, he can't pull crap like that and neither can anyone else who signs a contract specifying a penalty in dollars. Rides to the ISS aren't dollars.

Of course I'm not serious. If the board accepted payout equivalents for themselves and not the remaining stock holders, they would not be upholding their fiduciary duties. Oh, and then you know, accepting of bribes and what not.

I'm sure he could pump some shitcoin with a tweet and defray that expense with his winnings.