Should I sell my RSUs? UK staff at 10 US tech firms received £2.92bn in share awards

Ten US technology companies recorded £2.92 billion of share-based pay for their UK staff in their latest accounts – 78p for every £1 they paid in wages – but should you sell your restricted stock units (RSUs)?

New Newspage research, sponsored by Thera Wealth Management, found that the companies recorded £3.76 billion in salaries alongside the share awards, meaning they provided 78p of share-based compensation for every £1 of wages.

Much of this compensation is delivered through restricted stock units, or RSUs. Employees do not normally own the shares when the units are initially granted; ownership begins when they vest under the employer’s timetable.

The 10 companies in the research were OpenAI, Google, Meta, Nvidia, Anthropic, Apple, Palantir, Microsoft, Amazon and Salesforce.

Should I sell my RSUs when they vest?

There is no single answer for every employee, but experts said workers should consider whether keeping the shares leaves too much of their wealth dependent on their employer. The decision should account for their salary, bonus, unvested awards, other investments and long-term financial plans.

OpenAI recorded the highest share-based compensation per UK employee among the companies examined. Its 2025 accounts showed £167.8 million of share-based compensation for 110 employees, compared with an £87 million wage bill. That was equivalent to more than £1.5 million per employee.

Google’s UK business recorded £1.15 billion of share-based compensation for approximately 7,000 employees, or around £164,000 each. Its share-based compensation increased by approximately 25% while its wage bill fell by 5%.

Salesforce also increased its share-based compensation by around 15% while reducing its wage bill by 11%. This means company shares are becoming an increasingly important part of remuneration for some UK technology workers.

Philip Dragoumis, Director and Owner at London-based Thera Wealth Management, said employees can gradually accumulate a significant holding in one company if they take no action when RSUs vest.

He added: "RSU compensation means that on a regular basis you receive your employer's stock as income. Over many years if you take no action at all, then you may have accumulated a sizeable position in one single share. 

"In some cases I have seen, the holdings amount to 50% or more of liquid net worth. Holding concentrated positions exposes you to what in finance terms is called unsystematic risk. The specific operational and management risks of the firm, the sector risk, project risks.

“There is a risk, admittedly very small for large US companies, that the firm goes bankrupt. If you work for the firm, not only is your investment at risk but also your salary and bonus, your exposure is doubled effectively. 

"So the question you have to ask yourself is what would happen to my financial plan, if the shares in my employer were worthless? If the answer is I would have to retire 10 years later then you probably need to sell some. A planner can help you answer this question."

Why can holding too many RSUs be risky?

An employee who retains every vested share can become heavily exposed to a single company. Their job, salary, bonus, future share awards and a substantial part of their investments may all depend on the same business.

This can produce significant gains when the company performs well, but a falling share price can affect several parts of the employee’s finances simultaneously. 

The risk is not restricted to a company failing completely: disappointing results, management problems, regulation or a downturn across the technology sector can also reduce its value.

Experts suggested asking what the employee would do if the same amount were paid as a cash bonus. 

Someone who would not voluntarily invest the entire sum in their employer’s shares may want to reconsider whether retaining every vested RSU is consistent with their wider investment strategy.

Ross Lacey, Director at Rayleigh-based Fairview Financial Management, said employees should treat vested RSUs as salary rather than an unexpected prize.

He commented: "Treat RSUs as salary, not a prize win. If your employer paid you that money in cash, would you spend it all on their stock? If not, you should consider selling. The shares are taxed as employment income when they vest, so you’ve effectively been paid a bonus in stock. 

"Holding on means buying your employer’s shares all over again with post-tax money, and people rarely see it that way. If your salary, bonus and savings all depend on one company, you’re already heavily exposed before you’ve bought a single share.

“A bad year can cost you your job, your bonus and your share value at the same time. We generally look at total exposure, including unvested awards, and agree a cap on how much of someone’s wealth can sit in their employer’s stock. 

"Selling at vest is the easiest time to diversify, because there’s little or no further gain to tax, whereas holding on can bring further complexity with capital gains tax, share pooling rules etc."

How are RSUs taxed in the UK?

RSUs are generally treated as employment income when they vest, with the taxable amount based on the value received at that point. 

This differs from much of the online guidance written for employees in the United States.

If the employee keeps the shares after vesting and later sells them for more than their acquisition value, the subsequent increase may create a capital gain. 

The market value at vesting generally provides the starting cost for working out that later gain or loss.

US-listed shares also create currency considerations for UK taxpayers. The acquisition and disposal values must be calculated in sterling, so a share that is unchanged in dollars can still produce a sterling gain or loss when exchange rates move. 

HMRC requires foreign-currency amounts to be converted into sterling when they are incurred or received.

Nouran Moustafa, Practice Principal & IFA at Roxton Wealth, said that much of the American advice online does not fit UK employees.

She commented: "When RSUs vest, I start with one brutal question: if your employer paid you the same amount in cash today, would you immediately use all of it to buy their shares? If the answer is no, holding every vested share makes little sense. RSUs are already tied to your employer. Your salary, bonus, career and investments can all end up depending on the same company.

“Add US dollar exposure and that concentration gets even bigger. For UK employees, the vest can create employment income and PAYE, while any growth after acquisition can potentially fall into CGT when the shares are sold. That is very different from a lot of the American advice people find online.

"A large vest is also exactly when wider tax-year planning matters: pensions, ISA use and spouse planning should all be reviewed properly rather than dealt with afterwards. RSUs can make you wealthy. They can also make your entire financial life depend on one share price."

Can an RSU vest push you above £100,000?

The value of vested RSUs can increase an employee’s taxable income for that year. This means a large vest may push someone’s adjusted net income above £100,000 even if their ordinary salary is below that threshold.

For the 2026/27 tax year, the standard Personal Allowance is £12,570. It falls by £1 for every £2 of adjusted net income above £100,000 and is eliminated once income reaches £125,140.

Workers should retain records showing the number of shares in each vest, their sterling value on the vesting date, any shares withheld for tax and the eventual sterling sale proceeds. 

Shares in the same company may be subject to identification and pooling rules when calculating a later capital gain.

Harvey Dhillon, Founder & CEO at Zmartly, believes that one gain from an RSU can tip workers over £100,000 and start eating into their tax-free personal allowance.

He commented: "The tax on an RSU vest is fixed that day, whether you sell or hold: it's taxed as pay either way. A big vest lands in a single tax year. If it takes your adjusted net income past £100,000, your personal allowance falls by £1 for every £2 above that. The vest itself is your income and can't be shared with a spouse. 

"Shares you give a husband, wife or civil partner after vest pass with no Capital Gains Tax, though, so the gain from vest onwards is taxed on them when they sell, against their own allowance.

“For a US company, the UK gain is still in pounds, and on a pooled cost like any other share. Each vest goes in at its sterling value on the day, later tranches join the same pool at an average cost, and the sale is converted on the day you sell, so a share that's flat in dollars can still show a gain or a loss. Keep the sterling vest value for every tranche.”

Your questions answered:

Philip Dragoumis, Director and Owner at Thera Wealth Management, answers five common questions about whether employees should sell their RSUs.

Should I sell my RSUs as soon as they vest?

It's not a one-size-fits-all answer, but generally it's a sensible strategy, especially if you have significant exposure already to your employer’s shares.

How are RSUs taxed in the UK?

In the UK, RSUs are generally subject to Income Tax and National Insurance when they vest and the shares become yours, based on their market value at that point. For most employees, these deductions are handled through payroll, often with some shares sold automatically to cover the tax liability.

Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my RSUs? 

You may have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if the shares increase in value between the date you acquire them at vesting and the date you sell them. However, if you sell immediately after vesting, there is usually little or no capital gain, as Income Tax has already been charged on the value of the shares at that point.

What happens to my unvested RSUs if I leave my job?

Usually they are forfeited when you leave your employer, although rules differ sometimes between firms. There could be more favourable treatment if you leave for retirement or redundancy, so it’s worth checking the award agreement before making decisions.

Is it risky to hold a lot of shares in the company I work for? 

Absolutely. Holding a large proportion of wealth in one share means the company-specific risk is off the scale. Also your salary and future bonuses are all tied to the fortune of the firm as well, increasing your risk further. Diversification helps reduce the risk of a setback at the company affecting your career and your financial security.