Elon Musk Becomes First Person Worth $500 Billion, Driven by Tesla Surge

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Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX, has become the first individual in history to amass a personal fortune of $500 billion, according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires Index.

The milestone, reached on Wednesday, cements Musk’s position as the world’s wealthiest individual—nearly $150 billion ahead of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who ranks second on the global rich list.

Tesla Stock Powers the Jump

Musk’s latest wealth surge was fueled by a 4 per cent rise in Tesla’s stock on Wednesday afternoon, adding more than $9 billion to his net worth in a single day. Tesla shares have nearly doubled in value since April, when Musk announced he would reduce his role in President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency and dedicate more focus to Tesla.

The electric vehicle maker’s market capitalization now sits within 10 per cent of its all-time high. Musk’s 12 per cent stake alone is valued at $191 billion, excluding billions in stock options.

A controversial 2018 pay package—previously voided by a Delaware judge but now under appeal—could be worth as much as $133 billion if reinstated. In September, Tesla’s board introduced a fresh pay proposal that, under certain performance milestones, could award Musk stock valued at up to $1 trillion.

SpaceX, AI Ventures Add to Fortune

Musk’s wealth is not confined to Tesla. His space exploration company, SpaceX, was valued at $400 billion in a private tender offer in August, up from $350 billion late last year. Musk’s 42 per cent stake is estimated at $168 billion.

He also owns a majority stake (53 per cent) in xAI Holding, a merger of his artificial intelligence startup xAI with social media platform X (formerly Twitter), jointly valued at about $60 billion.

A Rapid Wealth Ascent

The $500 billion benchmark marks the latest in Musk’s meteoric financial rise over the past five years.

• March 2020: Net worth at $24.6 billion

• August 2020: Crossed $100 billion

• January 2021: Surpassed Jeff Bezos to become world’s richest at $190 billion

• November 2021: Crossed $300 billion

• December 2024: First person to reach $400 billion

• September 2025: Now the first to hit $500 billion

If current trajectories hold, analysts suggest Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire by the early 2030s.

Musk’s Response

Despite the headlines, Musk has often downplayed his fortune, insisting his focus is on “building products and advancing humanity” rather than personal wealth.

Earlier this month, Larry Ellison briefly overtook Musk as the world’s richest person after a $100 billion increase in Ellison’s net worth, though Musk quickly regained the top spot.