The amount, although eye-popping by Main Street standards, is smaller than the stock-based bonuses his rivals received for 2009. On Friday, J.P. Morgan Chase said it would award $17 million to chief executive Jamie Dimon.

In a regulatory filing, Goldman said Blankfein received restricted stock Friday worth just shy of $9 million based on the firm's closing share price of $154.16. Two years ago, Blankfein set an industry record by receiving a $68 million bonus, about a third of it in cash, after his firm made $11.6 billion. He took no bonus in 2008, when profits plunged during the financial crisis.

For 2009, Goldman reported a record profit of $13.4 billion. The firm's $16.2 billion compensation pool for 2009, which includes pensions and other benefits, translates to nearly $500,000 an employee.

Ever the populist, Blankfein turned down his 2008 bonus, a reported $43 million, due to "poor job performance" and simply accepted his $600,000.00 salary. In 2007, Blankfein set an industry record by receiving a $68 million bonus on top of his half million dollar per year salary.