By Phan Anh  January 19, 2026 | 09:17 pm PT
A year-end company party in Taiwan stunned social media as every employee walked away with an iPhone 17 Pro Max.
Photos shared online on Jan. 17 show a packed banquet hall as a projector announcement revealed the surprise gift. There was no raffle or performance ranking involved. Every person in the room received the same phone, according to users who posted the images on Threads, Mothership reported.
The company was identified by local media as Nomura Holdings Taiwan. The message displayed on screen said the phones were given in appreciation of employees’ contributions over the past year.
Local outlet Cava reported that the decision followed record-high growth in Taiwan’s stock market and strong profits across the investment industry in 2025, prompting the firm to reward its staff for their work.
Nomura Holdings has operated in Taiwan since 1998 and is now among the island’s top five foreign investment firms, with registered capital of around US$11 million.
According to witnesses at the event, the year-end party had roughly 20 to 30 tables, with around 300 employees in attendance. One Threads user who said they were working at the venue described it as the most extravagant employee gift they had ever seen.
Another photo posted from inside the hall showed staff lifting their phones to record the announcement, drawing gasps and cheers from the crowd.
Online reactions were swift. Commenters expressed disbelief and envy, with several jokingly asking whether the company was hiring.
In Taiwan, an iPhone 17 Pro Max currently retails for about US$1,425.