Elon Musk has shattered all records by becoming the first person in history to amass a fortune surpassing $500 billion, a milestone fueled by soaring Tesla shares, booming SpaceX ventures, and rising investor confidence in his AI startup xAI.
Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, has etched his name into history as the world’s first half-trillion-dollar man. According to the Forbes Billionaires Index, Musk’s net worth briefly touched $500.1 billion on Wednesday before easing slightly to $499 billion later in the day. The feat underscores his dominance in the global business and tech landscape, setting him far ahead of rivals like Oracle’s Larry Ellison, whose fortune stands at $350.7 billion.
Musk’s staggering wealth is anchored in his 12% stake in Tesla, which has enjoyed a resurgence this year. Tesla shares gained more than 3.3% during Wednesday’s New York trading session and are up over 14% in 2025. Investors have welcomed Musk’s renewed focus on his companies after earlier controversies over his political involvement, particularly with the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency.
Tesla’s board chair, Robyn Denholm, confirmed that Musk is now “front and centre” at the electric vehicle maker, reassuring stakeholders of his commitment to driving growth. Last month, Musk personally purchased $1 billion worth of Tesla shares, a move widely interpreted as a bold vote of confidence in the company’s future.
Alongside Tesla’s rebound, Musk’s other ventures are surging in value. SpaceX, which has become a leader in commercial space exploration, continues to expand its global footprint through satellite technology and reusable rockets. Meanwhile, his AI company xAI has seen rising valuations as investors bet on Musk’s vision of merging artificial intelligence with robotics. These ventures have played a key role in pushing his net worth past the unprecedented $500 billion mark.
Despite this historic milestone, challenges remain. Tesla faces intensifying competition from China’s BYD and other global automakers aggressively expanding their electric vehicle fleets. Moreover, Tesla’s own transition into a broader AI and robotics business raises questions about execution and long-term sustainability. Market volatility could also impact Musk’s wealth, given how closely it is tied to Tesla’s stock performance.
Still, Musk’s ability to inspire investor confidence and expand his business empire places him in a league of his own. His ventures are not only shaping the future of transportation and space exploration but also redefining artificial intelligence and renewable energy. Whether his half-trillion-dollar fortune continues to rise will depend on Tesla’s ability to maintain growth, SpaceX’s success in expanding commercial and government contracts, and xAI’s capacity to carve a niche in the competitive AI sector.
For now, Musk has firmly secured his place at the top of the global billionaire rankings, leaving rivals trailing by a wide margin. His journey from an ambitious entrepreneur to the world’s first $500 billion man reflects both the scale of his ambitions and the power of the industries he leads.
