Elon Musk, boss of Tesla and SpaceX, is now the first person to reach $500 billion in personal wealth. Forbes tracked his net worth at $500.1 billion on October 1, 2025. Four years ago in March 2020, he was worth $24.6 billion. He crossed $400 billion in December 2024, then hit $500 billion after Tesla stock jumped nearly 4% in one day. Musk gained about $9.3 billion from that surge alone. Tesla’s market value is $1.5 trillion, up 14% this year.
Where Musk’s money comes from
Tesla is the main source for Musk’s wealth. He owns about 12.4% of Tesla stock. SpaceX is the next biggest, now valued near $400 billion from recent funding talks. Musk owns close to 42% of SpaceX, adding roughly $168 billion. xAI, Musk’s AI company, may be valued between $170 billion and $200 billion soon, though Musk questions some of those reports.
Money experts believe Musk could become the world’s first trillionaire. Some say this could happen by 2027, others guess 2033, depending on how fast his wealth grows. Informa Connect Academy looked at Musk’s yearly growth rate of 110%, predicting he may hit a trillion-dollar net worth by 2027. A slower rate could move that target closer to 2033. Tesla’s board has suggested a $1 trillion pay plan for Musk, but he would need to help Tesla hit certain goals over the next ten years.
Other wealthy competitors
Musk now has a large lead over others with big bank balances. Oracle’s Larry Ellison, second on the list, is at $350.7 billion, about $150 billion behind Musk. Analysts point to Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Gautam Adani from India, and Prajogo Pangestu from Indonesia as possible future trillionaires. They could reach that by 2028.
Tesla’s performance matters for Musk’s net worth. Tesla increased prices for new leases after the U.S. $7,500 EV tax credit ended. The company still leads as the world’s most valuable carmaker, even with competition from China’s BYD. Tesla now pushes into artificial intelligence and robotics, aiming for driverless taxis and “humanoid” robots. These plans may change Tesla’s value, and Musk’s fortune in the years to come.
What $500 billion looks like
Musk reaching $500 billion set a new record for personal wealth. That amount is close to half the GDP of many countries and tops the market value of almost every Fortune 500 company. This achievement comes at a time when people are talking about global wealth inequality. Musk’s fortune stands out and may be the first step toward trillions in wealth for one person. His path could make personal wealth numbers even larger in the future.
You may also like to read:
- Elon Musk’s xAI Plans Grokipedia, Calls Out Wikipedia Bias »
- Tesla FSD V14 moves to wide release next week per Elon Musk »
- Elon Musk makes largest-ever Tesla stock buy »
We’ve launched an official Tesla Owners Online Forum. Join early and claim your "Founding Fuel" badge.
