ELON Musk, the American business magnate behind Tesla and SpaceX, has become the first person in history to amass a net worth exceeding US$700 billion, according to Forbes magazine.
Musk’s fortune surged after the Delaware Supreme Court overturned a previous ruling that had invalidated his 2018 Tesla stock option package, currently valued at US$139 billion.
Forbes estimates that the reversal of the lower court decision has pushed Musk’s total net worth to a record US$749 billion.
Bernama-Sputnik/RIA Novosti reported today that previously, Musk was recognised as the first individual to surpass a US$600 billion net worth following a public offering for SpaceX that valued the aerospace company at US$800 billion.
His financial ascent has been rapid: in March 2020, Musk’s net worth stood at US$24.6 billion.
By January 2021, he became the world’s richest person, surpassing the US$200 billion and US$300 billion thresholds in the same year.
In 2024, his wealth milestones continued, exceeding US$400 billion and US$500 billion.
Forbes noted that, apart from Musk, only Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has ever reached net worths above US$300 billion and US$400 billion, highlighting the extraordinary scale of Musk’s financial achievements.
This latest record underscores Musk’s continuing influence in technology and business, as well as the profound impact of high-value stock holdings and strategic corporate decisions on personal wealth accumulation. - December 21, 2025
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