Ayesha Nyanzunda
New York – Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has become the first individual in history to amass a personal fortune exceeding $500 billion, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires index.
Musk’s net worth briefly touched $500.1 billion on Wednesday afternoon in New York before easing slightly to just over $499 billion by the close of trading. The milestone further secures his position as the world’s richest person, placing him well ahead of rivals in the technology and business sectors.
The billionaire entrepreneur’s wealth is heavily tied to his more than 12% ownership stake in electric carmaker Tesla, whose shares have surged dramatically in 2025. Analysts say the rally reflects strong global demand for electric vehicles and investor confidence in Tesla’s expanding production capacity.
Musk, 54, also leads several other high-profile ventures, including rocket company SpaceX, brain-implant startup Neuralink, and tunneling firm The Boring Company. His diverse business empire has played a central role in reshaping industries from space exploration to transport and artificial intelligence.
The half-trillion-dollar threshold marks another landmark moment in Musk’s extraordinary financial rise, which has been fueled by stock market gains and bold bets on the future of technology.