Elon Musk Reaches Historic $500 Billion Net Worth: The Path to Becoming World's First Trillionaire

Tesla is not the only venture propelling Elon Musk's unprecedented half-trillion-dollar fortune.

Washington:

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has made history by becoming the first individual to amass a net worth approaching half a trillion dollars. According to Forbes' Real-Time Billionaires tracker, the world's wealthiest person now possesses a fortune of $500.1 billion. The former Trump administration advisor crossed the $400 billion threshold in December, establishing another unprecedented wealth milestone. His current net worth exceeds that of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, the second richest person, by $150 billion.

The South African-born entrepreneur's wealth is substantially linked to Tesla, his electric vehicle manufacturing company, where he maintains over a 12.4% ownership stake as of September 15. Tesla's stock has experienced a 14% increase this year, with a nearly 4% rise on Wednesday alone, adding approximately $9.3 billion to Musk's fortune.

Examining Musk's Financial Trajectory

Following a challenging beginning to the year, Tesla shares have shown positive momentum as investor confidence improved after Musk announced his departure from President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to refocus on his corporate responsibilities.

Tesla board chairperson Robyn Denholm stated last month that Musk had returned "front and centre" to the company after several months at the White House. Shortly thereafter, Musk disclosed his purchase of approximately $1 billion in Tesla shares, demonstrating significant confidence in the company's future as it works to evolve from an automotive manufacturer to a leader in artificial intelligence and robotics.

Last month, Tesla's board proposed a $1 trillion compensation package for Musk, establishing ambitious financial and operational targets while addressing his requests for increased ownership in the company.

Musk's half-trillion-dollar fortune extends beyond Tesla. His artificial intelligence startup xAI and aerospace company SpaceX have also significantly increased in valuation this year.

According to Pitchbook data, xAI was last valued at $75 billion as of July. While CNBC reported in September that the company was targeting a $200 billion valuation after a fundraising round, Musk clarified that the company was not raising capital at that time.

Bloomberg News reported in July that SpaceX was discussing fundraising and selling insider shares in a transaction valuing the company at approximately $400 billion.

If Musk's fortune continues its current growth trajectory, he could become the world's first trillionaire before March 2033, which coincides with the first of two vesting dates for his $1 trillion Tesla compensation package, according to Forbes' report.