TL;DR: On October 1, 2025, Elon Musk's net worth reached $500.1 billion, the highest ever recorded for any individual. The milestone was driven by Tesla’s stock surge and rising valuations of SpaceX and xAI. Most of his wealth remains in company shares, not cash.
Key Facts
- Elon Musk’s net worth hit $500.1 billion on October 1, 2025, at 4:15 p.m. ET, according to Forbes real-time billionaire tracker, making him the first person in history to reach that level.
- The increase was driven by a 3.3% rise in Tesla stock to $459.46, adding $98 billion in a single day to his net worth. Tesla's market cap surpassed $1.5 trillion.
- Musk owns approximately 13% of Tesla, valued at around $380-$400 billion, making it the largest source of his wealth.
- SpaceX’s valuation rose to $400 billion in 2025; Musk owns about 42%, contributing $160-$170 billion to his net worth.
- Musk’s AI company xAI, now merged with X (formerly Twitter), is valued between $100–$113 billion, with Musk owning over 50%.
- Forbes ranks Musk $150 billion ahead of the world’s second-richest person, Larry Ellison, who is worth $351.5 billion.
- A proposed $1 trillion Tesla compensation package could further increase Musk’s future earnings, depending on company performance targets.