Elon Musk’s fortune has crossed an unprecedented threshold, exceeding $600 billion for the first time ever, according to Forbes. The milestone makes the Tesla and SpaceX chief the wealthiest individual in recorded history, with his net worth now estimated at more than $677 billion.
Forbes attributes the sharp rise mainly to SpaceX’s soaring valuation. The private aerospace company completed a secondary share sale this month that valued it at about $800 billion, lifting the value of Musk’s 42% stake. The move has fueled expectations that SpaceX could go public as early as June 2026, a prospect that has driven investor enthusiasm around Musk’s wealth.
If an initial public offering goes ahead, analysts cited by Forbes believe SpaceX could seek a valuation of up to $1.5 trillion. Under that scenario, Musk’s personal fortune could move beyond the $1 trillion mark, another level never before reached by an individual.
Reuters has also reported that SpaceX plans to use future capital to accelerate some of its most ambitious projects. In a letter to shareholders obtained by the news agency, SpaceX chief financial officer Bret Johnsen said the company aims to increase the launch cadence of its Starship rocket. He also outlined longer-term plans that include deploying artificial intelligence data centers in space, building a permanent lunar base and sending both crewed and uncrewed missions to Mars.
Beyond SpaceX, Musk’s wealth is also tied to Tesla. In November, shareholders approved a massive long-term compensation package that could pay Musk up to $878 billion in bonuses if the electric carmaker meets a series of aggressive targets over the next decade. These goals include delivering 20 million vehicles annually, operating a fleet of one million robotaxis, selling one million humanoid robots and generating up to $400 billion in profit.
Tesla, currently valued at around $1.5 trillion, remains one of the so-called “Magnificent Seven” technology giants, alongside companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Meta, Alphabet and Amazon.
With SpaceX’s valuation climbing and Tesla’s incentive plan back on track, Forbes notes that Musk’s wealth surge reflects not just market optimism, but a growing belief among investors that his companies could reshape industries ranging from transportation to space exploration.
