Source TOI
NEW YORK – In an unprecedented financial milestone, Elon Musk has become the first person in history to surpass a net worth of $700 billion. The tech tycoon’s wealth skyrocketed this week following a decisive legal victory that reinstated his massive Tesla compensation package, solidifying his position as the world’s wealthiest individual by a staggering margin.
The surge in Musk’s fortune, now estimated at approximately $749 billion, comes after the Delaware Supreme Court overturned a previous lower court ruling that had voided his 2018 pay package. The high court deemed the earlier decision to cancel the deal “unfair and wrong,” effectively restoring stock options now valued at roughly $139 billion.
The Path to $700 Billion
The record-breaking climb was fueled by several key factors:
Tesla Compensation Victory: The restoration of his 2018 pay package added billions to his paper wealth overnight. Furthermore, Tesla shareholders recently approved a new forward-looking pay plan worth an estimated $1 trillion, reflecting investor confidence in Musk’s vision for AI and robotics.
SpaceX Valuation: Anticipation surrounding a potential public offering for SpaceX has further inflated Musk’s valuation. The aerospace giant remains a cornerstone of his portfolio alongside Starlink.
Diversified Empire: Musk’s wealth is distributed across a suite of cutting-edge companies, including Neuralink (neurotechnology), The Boring Company (infrastructure), xAI (artificial intelligence), and the social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
Unmatched Wealth Gap
Musk’s current net worth places him in a league of his own. According to the latest Forbes data, he now leads his closest rival, Google co-founder Larry Page, by nearly $500 billion. To put the figure in perspective, Musk’s personal wealth now exceeds the GDP of several developed nations.
Political and Global Influence
The financial milestone coincides with Musk’s increasing involvement in public policy. The billionaire recently served as a senior adviser for the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration. Working as a special government employee without a salary, Musk provided guidance on restructuring federal operations and cutting government waste—a role that has further intertwined his corporate interests with national governance.
Industry analysts suggest that with Tesla’s pivot toward a “robotaxi” future and SpaceX’s continued dominance in satellite launches, the $700 billion mark may only be a pitstop on Musk’s trajectory toward becoming the world’s first trillionaire.
