Elon Musk remains one of the wealthiest people in the world in 2026, with much of his fortune tied to companies including Tesla, SpaceX, X, Neuralink, and xAI. Over the past two years, Musk has also remained at the center of political controversy due to his close ties to Donald Trump and his leadership role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). On May 28, 2025, Musk announced that his time as a Special Government Employee in the Trump administration had ended, writing on X, “I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending,” while adding that “the @DOGE mission will only strengthen over time as it becomes a way of life throughout the government.”
Since then, Musk has continued making headlines for both his business ventures and public statements. After SpaceX filed for its highly anticipated IPO in May 2026, the company completed its blockbuster public debut the following month in one of the largest offerings in history. The IPO briefly valued SpaceX at more than $2 trillion and helped propel Musk to trillionaire status, further increasing his already massive fortune. At the same time, Tesla, X, and xAI continue facing scrutiny over artificial intelligence, self-driving technology, and Musk’s increasingly polarizing public image.
Learn more about Musk’s net worth and other details below.
What Is Elon Musk’s Net Worth?
Musk currently has an estimated net worth of $1.1 trillion, according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List at the time of publication, making him the richest person in the world. Much of Musk’s fortune comes from his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX, along with holdings in X, xAI, and Neuralink.
Musk’s fortune surged to unprecedented levels in 2026 following SpaceX’s historic initial public offering, which briefly pushed the company’s valuation above $2 trillion and cemented his status as the world’s first trillionaire.
Before reaching the trillion-dollar mark, Musk made headlines in 2024 as the first person to surpass a net worth of $400 billion. His fortune has continued to climb as his companies expand across the aerospace, AI, automotive and social media industries.
How Did Elon Musk Make His Money?
A significant portion of Musk’s net worth comes from his 12% stake in Tesla, which represents approximately 412 million shares. He has pledged 58% of his Tesla shares as collateral for personal loans totaling $3.5 billion. In 2022, Musk sold $40 billion worth of Tesla stock to help fund his $44 billion acquisition of Twitter, which he later rebranded as X. Although Musk still owns roughly 79% of the company at that original valuation, Twitter’s worth has dropped by nearly 70% as of August 2024.
Musk has also built massive wealth through SpaceX, the aerospace company he co-founded in 2002. SpaceX has grown into one of the world’s most valuable private companies through government contracts, Starlink satellite internet expansion, and commercial space launches. In May 2026, SpaceX officially filed for its highly anticipated IPO, with reports estimating the company could be valued at nearly $1.75 trillion.
Beyond Tesla and SpaceX, Musk owns companies including xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. His artificial intelligence startup xAI has rapidly expanded since launching in 2023 and has become a central part of Musk’s growing tech empire following its deeper integration with X and SpaceX operations.
Who Are the Richest People in the World?
As of today, the richest people in the world according to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List are:
- Elon Musk – $1.1 trillion
- Larry Page – $295.1 billion
- Sergey Brin – $272.2 billion
- Jeff Bezos – $246.7 billion
- Larry Ellison – $229.3 billion
