Elon Musk's Net Worth and Influence Go Hand in Hand

Elon Musk, who is already the world’s richest person, has reached another historic milestone now. The valuation of SpaceX continues to surge while accelerating his path toward becoming the world’s first trillionaire.

SpaceX had launched a tender offer valuing the company at $800 billion earlier this month, which doubled its reported valuation from August, according to investors cited by Forbes.

This move has pushed Musk’s estimated net worth to around $677 billion, which made him the first individual ever worth more than $600 billion.

SpaceX is now openly targeting an initial public offering (IPO) in 2026 at a potential $1.5 trillion valuation. Musk’s financial trajectory appears to be unprecedented in modern history.

Key Takeaways

SpaceX’s tender offer values the company at $800 billion, which doubles its valuation in months
Musk owns an estimated 42% stake in SpaceX, which is now worth roughly $336 billion
A planned SpaceX IPO in 2026 could value the company at $1.5 trillion. It may result in potentially making Musk a trillionaire
If combined with Tesla, xAI, and other ventures, Musk’s wealth rivals the annual GDP of some countries

SpaceX Becomes Musk’s Most Valuable Asset

SpaceX has already become Musk’s single most valuable holding even without an IPO. Based on current estimates, Musk’s assets are:

Musk’s SpaceX stake alone amounts to around $336 billion
At a $1.5 trillion IPO valuation, that stake could surge to around $625 billion

Musk has ruled out reports that SpaceX was raising money at an $800 billion valuation. But he appeared to be confirming IPO plans in a recent response on X.

Reports have suggested that the $800 billion figure refers to the valuation that was used for the company-led share buyback, not a public fundraising round.

Neither Musk nor SpaceX had responded to Forbes’ requests to offer comment.

Tesla’s Role in the Trillion-Dollar Path

SpaceX is only part of the equation because Musk’s wealth is deeply tied to Tesla. He owns roughly 12% of the company, which is currently valued at about $197 billion, excluding disputed stock options.

Those options come from Musk’s 2018 CEO Performance Award, voided by a Delaware judge in January 2024. Forbes currently discounts the value of those options by 50%, which are estimated at $69 billion, pending Musk’s appeal.

Even if Musk does not win that appeal, Tesla could still make him a trillionaire. In November, shareholders had approved a record-breaking compensation package. That package could award Musk up to $1 trillion in Tesla stock even if the company achieves ambitious long-term performance targets, which include growing its market capitalization more than eightfold.

xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company Add Billions More

Musk’s wealth has continued to expand beyond SpaceX and Tesla:

xAI Holdings, including social media platform X, is reportedly engaged in talks to raise funding at a $230 billion valuation
- Forbes has estimated Musk owns 53%, which is worth roughly $60 billion
Neuralink had been recently valued at over $9 billion
The Boring Company has been valued at over $5 billion

Even if these companies do not see further growth, they will still be adding tens of billions of dollars to Musk’s net worth.

A Decade of Unmatched Wealth Growth

Musk’s rise in net wealth has been historically rapid:

$24.6 billion net worth in March 2020
$100 billion by August 2020
The world’s richest person in January 2021
$200 billion in September 2021
$300 billion in November 2021
$400 billion in December 2024
$500 billion in October
$600+ billion today

He now owns an around $425 billion lead over the current No. 2 richest person, Google cofounder Larry Page.

Why This Matters

Musk has said he focused more on influence rather than gaining wealth. But these two, wealth and influence, are increasingly inseparable. SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI grow in valuation; Musk’s economic, technological, and geopolitical influence will also expand alongside them.

Elon Musk’s Net Worth and Influence Go Hand in Hand

Key Takeaways