Milestone marks historic rebound post-White House
Elon Musk has officially become the first person in history to surpass a $500 billion net worth, according to Forbes’ “Real-Time Billionaires” list. At the close of trading on Wednesday, Musk’s fortune stood at $499.1 billion, though it briefly exceeded the half-trillion mark earlier in the day.
The milestone follows a remarkable rebound in Musk’s financial standing after his controversial period linked to the White House. His wealth has surged on the back of record-breaking performance from Tesla and rising valuations of his other companies, including SpaceX and xAI.
Tesla stock fuels new wealth surge
Tesla’s stock has seen a significant rally in recent weeks, pushing it to all-time highs. The electric vehicle maker’s strong performance has been a key driver of Musk’s wealth increase. His holdings in Tesla represent the bulk of his net worth.
Musk’s broader portfolio, including SpaceX, The Boring Company, and the newly launched AI firm xAI, has also appreciated significantly in 2025 amid investor enthusiasm around space exploration and artificial intelligence.
Richest title reclaimed after brief shake-up
Last month, Oracle CEO Larry Ellison briefly overtook Musk as the world’s richest individual after Oracle’s stock experienced a meteoric rise. However, that lead was short-lived, as Musk’s gains in Tesla and other ventures pushed him back to the top spot.
As of now, Musk remains firmly ahead of global billionaires including Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, and Larry Ellison, reclaiming his dominance on the wealth leaderboard.
The trillion-dollar question: Tesla’s 2025 plan
Looking ahead, Musk could be on track to become the world’s first trillionaire — if he meets the ambitious milestones laid out in Tesla’s proposed 2025 CEO Performance Award.
Filed in a recent preliminary proxy statement with the SEC, the plan includes a series of operational and market cap targets. If approved by shareholders and achieved by Musk, the award would unlock an unprecedented compensation package.
Whether those conditions are met remains to be seen, but market watchers agree the possibility is no longer far-fetched, given Musk’s track record and Tesla’s recent trajectory.
