Elon Musk Becomes First Person Worth $500 Billion, May Soon Be World’s First Trillionaire

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has officially become the first person in history to achieve a net worth of $500.1 billion, according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires tracker (October 2025). This milestone makes him not just the world’s richest individual, but also puts him $150 billion ahead of Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle, who is the second-richest person globally.

Musk had earlier become the first person to cross $400 billion in December, 2024. His wealth surge is tied primarily to the performance of his companies: Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI.

Role of Tesla in Musk’s Fortune

• Musk currently owns 12.4% stake in Tesla (as of September 15, 2025).
• Tesla’s stock price has risen 14% this year and gained 4% on Wednesday alone, adding about $9.3 billion to Musk’s fortune.
• Investor sentiment improved after Musk stepped down from his role as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under former President Trump and refocused on Tesla.

Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm confirmed Musk was “front and centre” at Tesla again, following months in Washington.

In a major move, Musk himself purchased $1 billion worth of Tesla shares, showing confidence in the company’s shift from electric vehicles to AI and robotics leadership.

Tesla’s $1 Trillion Pay Package Proposal

The Tesla board has also proposed a $1 trillion compensation plan for Musk, setting tough financial and operational targets.

• If these conditions are met, Musk could officially become a trillionaire by March 2033, when the first vesting date for this package arrives.
• This plan also addresses Musk’s demand for a larger stake in Tesla.

SpaceX and xAI Boost Musk’s Wealth

Tesla isn’t Musk’s only source of fortune. Two other companies—SpaceX and xAI—are rapidly increasing his net worth:

• SpaceX: Valued at around $400 billion after insider share-sale talks in July 2025.
• xAI: Initially valued at $75 billion in July, but reports suggest it could soon hit $200 billion depending on future fundraising rounds.

Together, these ventures add significantly to Musk’s half-trillion-dollar fortune.