Elon Musk, 54, just did what no one else ever has. On October 1, 2025, the tech magnate’s net worth hit $500.1 billion, according to Forbes. For a few hours, he became the world’s first half-trillionaire. The number dipped slightly by the end of the day, but the message was clear: Musk is in a league of his own.

That makes him not just the richest man alive, but the richest man in history. He now stands roughly $150 billion ahead of Oracle’s Larry Ellison, the second-richest person in the world.

How Elon Crossed the $500 Billion Line

Elon Musk didn’t stumble into half a trillion dollars. The biggest chunk of his wealth comes from Tesla. He owns about 12% of the company. When Tesla’s stock jumped nearly 4% on October 1, it added about $9.3 billion to his net worth in a single day.

GTN / In 2025, the Tesla stock climbed over 20%. Investors cheered when Musk pulled back from politics and doubled down on Tesla. He backed that up by buying $1 billion worth of shares himself.

That move boosted confidence and sent the stock soaring.

But Tesla is just one piece of the puzzle. Musk's space company, SpaceX, is now valued at around $400 billion. He owns 42% of it, which adds another $168 billion to his total. SpaceX is launching value straight into his wallet.

His AI company, xAI, is also gaining speed. While newer than Tesla or SpaceX, xAI already has serious value. Musk’s majority stake is now worth about $60 billion. That number is expected to rise fast as AI demand grows and xAI carves out its share of the market.

A Trillion-Dollar Future?

The half-trillion mark might just be a pit stop. Tesla’s board has proposed a new compensation plan that could blow this number out of the water. If Musk hits a set of extreme but possible targets over the next ten years, he could unlock up to $1 trillion in bonuses.

To achieve this, Tesla would have to grow significantly. We are talking eight times its current value. The company would also need to crush it in AI-driven robots and electric vehicles. The goals are sky-high, but so is Musk’s track record of making the impossible happen.

The News / Some analysts believe Musk’s plan could be the roadmap to becoming the first trillionaire by 2033.

That would be another historic first, and no one doubts Musk will chase it with everything he has got.

Still, it is not all smooth sailing. Tesla is facing stiff competition. Chinese carmaker BYD is coming in strong, and global EV markets are heating up. Staying ahead won’t be easy, and any slip could hit Musk’s net worth hard.

Additionally, there is the simple truth that Musk’s wealth is tied to his companies’ stock prices. We have seen it before. He has lost tens of billions in a day when the market turned against him. That kind of volatility is always lurking.

In fact, Musk has been knocked from the top spot more than once. The climb back up is familiar territory, but it proves that his position, while historic, is still fragile. His $500 billion moment is massive, but it is also just that: a moment.

This half-trillion milestone feels big because it is big. But it also raises the stakes. All eyes are on what Musk does next.