Elon Musk has become the first individual in history with a net worth exceeding $500 billion. The richest person on the planet outstrips Larry Ellison by $150 billion, and is on the verge of becoming the world's first trillionaire, according to Forbes.
Musk achieved this milestone primarily through Tesla shares, which recently rose by 4%. This added $9.3 billion to his fortune. Overall, the value of the electric vehicle manufacturer's stock has nearly doubled since Musk announced in April that he would step away from DOGE to spend more time at the company. Currently, the Tesla CEO's stake adds $191 billion to his net worth.
Another source of Musk's wealth is SpaceX, valued at $400 billion. His stake is around 42%, which amounts to approximately $168 billion. Additionally, xAI Holdings, which includes the artificial intelligence startup xAI and the social network X (formerly Twitter), contributes another roughly $60 billion to his wealth.
Musk increased his net worth to $500 billion in just five years. As of March 2020, his fortune was only $24.6 billion, and such rapid growth was propelled by Tesla shares, making him the first person ever to exceed $100 billion in August of that year. Musk claimed the title of the world's richest person in January 2021 with a net worth of $190 billion, reaching $300 billion in November 2021, $400 billion in December 2024, and now finally half a trillion.
Forbes predicts that if the trend continues, by 2033 Elon Musk could become the world's first trillionaire thanks to Tesla bonuses, which could reach $1 trillion.