Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and one of the most influential businessmen of today, became the first man in history whose personal fortune reached 500 billion dollars, bringing him closer to the status of the world’s first trillionaire.
Wealth in constant growth
According to Forbes’ list of billionaires, Musk’s fortune briefly crossed the magical half-trillion mark on Wednesday, only to then fall back to 499 billion dollars. His net worth largely depends on Tesla, in which he owns a 12% stake. The company is currently worth more than 1.5 trillion dollars, and the growth in stock value over the past months has significantly increased Musk’s assets.
Besides Tesla, Musk owns other successful companies. Among them is SpaceX, the rocket company whose market value is estimated at around 400 billion dollars, while his AI firm xAI has an estimated value of 75 billion dollars. Musk owns a 42% stake in SpaceX.
Return of focus to Tesla
Although Tesla shares were under pressure at the beginning of the year due to competition from China, falling sales, and doubts about Musk’s commitment to the company, the last six months have brought a strong recovery. The shares rose by as much as 70%, and since the beginning of 2025, their value has increased by 13%.
Analysts’ reports state that it was precisely Musk’s return “at full capacity” to Tesla that was key to the change in investor sentiment. Robyn Denholm, chair of Tesla’s Board of Directors, said last month that Musk is once again “at the center of events” after a period in which he was focused on the White House and his other projects.
Musk further strengthened confidence by investing one billion dollars of his own money in Tesla shares, which is interpreted as a strong signal that he believes in the company’s future, especially in its transition from a traditional car business to a leading force in artificial intelligence and robotics.
Tesla’s Board of Directors recently proposed a historic compensation plan worth as much as 1 trillion dollars, offering Musk huge financial rewards if he meets ambitious goals related to the company’s financial results and technological development.
The richest man in the world – but not without competition
Although he is currently far ahead of his rivals, Musk’s position at the top of the richest list is not always stable. Last month, he was briefly overtaken by Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, but according to the latest data from Bloomberg’s list, Musk’s fortune is estimated at 470 billion dollars – almost 120 billion more than Ellison’s.
Regardless of the fluctuations, Musk remains the richest man on the planet, and reaching the 500 billion dollar mark is seen by many as yet another step toward his long-term ambition – to become the world’s first trillionaire.
