Rich get richer: Elon Musk’s net worth hits $600 billion

The world’s richest man has just gotten richer. Approximately $200 billion dollars richer. Earlier this month, Musk’s rocket maker SpaceX launched a tender offer valuing the firm at $800 billion, up from $400 billion in August, two of the company’s investors tell Forbes, which boosts the fortune of Musk, who owns an estimated 42% of SpaceX, by $168 billion to an estimated $677 billion as of 12 p.m. Eastern Monday.

Musk’s staggering wealth primarily stems from his stakes in high-value companies, particularly SpaceX and Tesla, whose market and private valuations fluctuate but remain extraordinarily high. Musk’s fortune is largely tied to these equity holdings rather than liquid cash, meaning most of his wealth is tied up in company valuations rather than readily spendable assets.

The tender offer comes as SpaceX is targeting an IPO in 2026 that could value the company at around $1.5 trillion, one of the company’s investors confirmed to Forbes.

SpaceX is Musk’s most valuable asset. The private aerospace company, valued near $800 billion, accounts for the majority of his net worth. Musk owns roughly 42 % of SpaceX, which operates the Starship rocket program, the Starlink satellite internet network, and government and commercial launch contracts. Tesla, where Musk owns approximately 12 % of stock, also contributes hundreds of billions to his fortune.

In addition to SpaceX and Tesla, Musk holds stakes in several other ventures, including xAI and X Corp (formerly Twitter), Neuralink, and The Boring Company, which, while smaller in scale, are strategically important to his business portfolio. Musk reportedly owns minimal real estate and keeps relatively small liquid cash reserves compared to his equity stakes.

If the IPO is not successful, Musk can still become a trillionaire thanks to his exorbitant $1 trillion Tesla pay package that was reportedly approved in November of 2025. The package is tied to ambitious milestones including cumulative vehicle deliveries, deployment of Tesla robotaxis and humanoid robots, and substantial profit targets.

Many observers note that such a historic pay plan highlights the tension between incentivizing executives and protecting shareholder value, as it could lead to significant dilution for existing shareholders if all tranches vest.

Elon Musk’s recent wealth surge underscores how high-impact technology ventures can create fortunes of historically unprecedented scale. His position as the world’s richest individual in 2025 demonstrates the outsized influence of entrepreneurs who combine innovation, risk-taking, and strategic ownership. How his wealth will evolve in the coming years depends on company performance, market conditions, and potential IPO outcomes, making the long-term trajectory inherently uncertain.

The gap between Musk and other top billionaires remains extraordinary. His nearest peers include Larry Page (~$266 billion), Jeff Bezos (~$249 billion), Sergey Brin (~$247 billion), and Larry Ellison (~$243 billion), all trailing him by hundreds of billions.

Beyond individual fortunes, Musk’s wealth highlights broader questions about the concentration of capital in transformative tech industries. The implications for market influence, shareholder dynamics, and wealth distribution remain speculative, as shifts in technology, regulation, or corporate strategy could dramatically alter outcomes. His example illustrates the growing impact of a single individual on global economic and technological landscapes.