Elon Musk's Path to Becoming World's First Trillionaire Through SpaceX IPO and Tesla Growth

Elon Musk's journey toward becoming the world's first trillionaire faces significant hurdles but appears increasingly possible.

The current wealthiest individual globally could potentially more than double his $460.6 billion fortune if SpaceX successfully goes public in the coming year at a $1.5 trillion valuation.

According to calculations from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk's ownership in his space exploration company would be valued at approximately $625 billion if such an IPO materialized, a substantial increase from its current $136 billion valuation. This figure excludes his substantial holdings in various other enterprises, including Tesla Inc., the world's most valuable automotive manufacturer.

These calculations, based on a $1.5 trillion pre-money valuation estimate, suggest his total wealth would reach $952 billion, representing a $491 billion increase from present levels.

Neither Musk nor SpaceX representatives responded when contacted for comment.

A public offering would establish a second clear pathway for Musk to achieve trillionaire status, following his recent acquisition of the first twelve-figure compensation package at Tesla.

Bloomberg's wealth index estimates that Musk controls approximately 42% of Starbase, Texas-headquartered SpaceX, a figure derived from Federal Communications Commission filings and dilution calculations from recent funding rounds.

To assess the current value of Musk's SpaceX stake, the index references a December 2024 transaction involving a $1.25 billion secondary sale at a valuation approaching $350 billion. After applying the standard liquidity discount for privately-held companies, his stake is valued at roughly $136 billion.

Earlier this year, some SpaceX shares traded in secondary transactions at approximately $400 billion valuation, though this figure isn't incorporated in calculations since the volume of shares sold couldn't be precisely determined. Data provider Pitchbook estimated these transactions at less than $50 million.

Musk's potential trillionaire trajectory, whether through Tesla or SpaceX, faces substantial challenges.

At Tesla, Musk's compensation package only vests when specific performance targets are achieved. The most ambitious objectives include reaching an $8.5 trillion market capitalization, up from roughly $1.5 trillion currently, and adjusted EBITDA of $400 billion, compared to less than $13 billion last year.

Tesla's board justified this extraordinary package by arguing it was necessary to secure their chief executive's complete focus and commitment.

Meanwhile, a $1.5 trillion IPO for SpaceX, where Musk also serves as CEO, would nearly equal the record established by Saudi Aramco's 2019 public offering at a $1.7 trillion valuation. For context, the oil giant generated approximately $360 billion in revenue the year preceding its listing, while SpaceX reportedly expects around $15 billion in revenue this year, according to Bloomberg.

Nevertheless, SpaceX demonstrates a history of rapidly increasing valuations and considerable investor enthusiasm. The company, which manufactures rockets and operates the Starlink satellite internet service, is reportedly developing a new arrangement allowing employees to sell approximately $2 billion worth of stock at a valuation exceeding $800 billion.

Should this transaction be completed, SpaceX would reclaim its position as the world's highest-valued private company after briefly losing this distinction to OpenAI earlier this year, potentially adding over $180 billion to Musk's net worth.

If these paths to trillionaire status prove unsuccessful, Musk still has xAI, which reached a $200 billion valuation in September.