Elon Musk has made history as the first individual whose wealth has crossed the remarkable threshold of $500 billion. Currently, he is $150 billion ahead of Larry Ellison, who ranks second, and is on track to potentially become the world's first trillionaire, according to Forbes.
This achievement was largely driven by a recent 4% increase in Tesla's stock, which added $9.3 billion to Musk's fortune. The value of the electric vehicle maker's shares has nearly doubled since Musk announced his intention to focus more on the company, stepping away from his role in DOGE back in April. Currently, his stake in Tesla is valued at $191 billion.
Another significant source of Musk's wealth is SpaceX, in which he holds approximately 42% ownership, valued at $400 billion, equating to around $168 billion. Additionally, xAI Holdings, which encompasses the AI startup xAI and the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), contributes another $60 billion to his net worth.
Musk has increased his net worth to $500 billion in just five years. As of March 2020, his fortune was only $24.6 billion, and this rapid growth was fueled by Tesla's shares, making him the first person to surpass $100 billion in August of that same year. He became the world's richest person in January 2021 with a net worth of $190 billion, reached $300 billion in November 2021, $400 billion in December 2024, and now half a trillion.
Forbes predicts that if the current trend continues, Elon Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire by 2033, thanks to Tesla's bonuses, which could total $1 trillion.