Elon Musk has reached a historic milestone, becoming the first individual in the world with a net worth exceeding $700 billion. This achievement comes just four days after he became the first person to surpass $600 billion, highlighting the extraordinary trajectory of the Tesla and SpaceX CEO. The surge in Musk’s wealth was largely driven by a landmark ruling from the Delaware Supreme Court, which overturned a lower court decision that had invalidated his $139 billion Tesla stock options.
Previously, Forbes had discounted Musk’s Tesla stock options by 50% since January 2024, following the Delaware court’s ruling that the 2018 stock option award was unfair due to Musk’s control over Tesla’s board. The Supreme Court’s ruling last Friday deemed that “canceling the options was not an appropriate remedy,” prompting Forbes to restore the value of these options, increasing Musk’s net worth estimate by $69.5 billion overnight.
With the ruling, Tesla once again represents Musk’s most valuable asset. In addition to the stock options, he holds 12% of Tesla’s common shares, valued at $199 billion, bringing his total Tesla-related holdings to $338 billion. This calculation does not even factor in the record-setting compensation package approved by Tesla in November 2025, which could potentially deliver up to $1 trillion in shares (pre-tax and subject to vesting restrictions) if Tesla achieves breakthrough performance milestones, including an eightfold increase in market capitalization over the next decade.
Musk’s second most valuable asset, an estimated 42% stake in SpaceX, is currently valued slightly below his Tesla holdings, at roughly $336 billion, based on a private tender launched this month. SpaceX itself is valued at $800 billion, up from $400 billion in August, and is widely expected to pursue an IPO in 2026, potentially reaching a valuation of $1.5 trillion. While Tesla dominates his current net worth, SpaceX may be the vehicle that ultimately makes Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
For comparison, Google co-founder Larry Page, the second richest person globally, has an estimated net worth of $253 billion, underlining the unprecedented scale of Musk’s wealth accumulation. Musk remains pivotal to Tesla’s future as the company transitions beyond being “just a car manufacturer.”
Earlier this year, in May 2025, Musk faced criticism for allegedly neglecting Tesla while engaging in political activities with former President Donald Trump. In response, Musk publicly reaffirmed his commitment to lead Tesla for at least the next five years, assuaging investor concerns about his focus on the company.
Even without achieving every target laid out by Tesla’s board, Musk could still realize tens of billions of dollars. Analysts estimate he could earn over $50 billion simply by meeting a subset of achievable performance goals. Moreover, the proposed compensation package grants Musk greater voting power, which he has explicitly requested. This influence is particularly relevant to Tesla’s Optimus robot program, which Musk envisions as a “robot army.”
“If I’m building this robot army, don’t I deserve at least strong influence over that army?” Musk told analysts. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable building it if I didn’t have substantial influence.”
Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm previously urged shareholders to approve Musk’s near-$1 trillion compensation package. “Without Elon, Tesla could lose significant value, as our company might no longer be properly positioned to achieve our objectives,” Denholm wrote, emphasizing Musk’s critical role in guiding Tesla through ambitious technological advances.
Tesla’s recent Q3 financial report revealed mixed results: earnings fell short of expectations, yet the company posted a 12% growth, bouncing back after two consecutive quarterly declines. While challenges remain, investors continue to focus on Musk’s long-term vision, which includes a combination of electric vehicles, autonomous mobility, and robotics.
This historic milestone illustrates not only Musk’s extraordinary financial success but also the growing intersection of technology, leadership, and investor confidence. As Tesla and SpaceX continue to push the boundaries of automotive, aerospace, and AI-driven technologies, Musk’s wealth is likely to evolve in tandem with the transformative impact of his companies. From stock options and ownership stakes to ambitious compensation packages and future SpaceX IPOs, Elon Musk’s path toward becoming the first trillionaire in history appears closer than ever.
