South Africa: Elon Musk has officially become the world’s first-ever US Dollar Trillionaire following the record-breaking public listing of SpaceX IPO on the Nasdaq. The highly anticipated initial public offering (IPO) raised $75 billion and valued the aerospace and telecommunications company at over $2 trillion.
Reportedly, the market debut caused Musk’s net worth to soar to an estimated $1.1 trillion. According to Bloomberg and Forbes, this rise is making him the first individual to ever reach the milestone.
Here is how the trillion-dollar milestone breaks down:
SpaceX Valuation: The company listed its shares at $135 each, but trading quickly opened at $150 and surged to close at over $160 during its debut.
Musk’s Stake: Musk retains unilateral control with a roughly 42% equity stake (and about 82% voting power) in SpaceX. His SpaceX holdings alone are worth over $860 billion.
Tesla Shares: Musk’s significant holdings in Tesla, along with his vested stock options and other investments like Neuralink, push his total net worth well into the trillion-dollar range.
Business Leader’s Opinion
Few business leaders have been deeply embedded in popular culture as Elon Musk, is always known as the ambitious entrepreneur, has now become a central figure in internet culture and amassed a fortune that has made him the world’s first trillionaire.
At times like this, when concerns about inequality are high and public attitudes toward the ultra-wealthy have soured, opens new tab. Musk has managed to retain a loyal following despite his stratospheric net worth and without the folksy persona that endeared other tycoons such as Warren Buffett to the masses.
While Musk’s admirers view no-filter style as part of his appeal. Critics have accused him of wielding oligarch-like power, raised concerns about governance at his companies and objected to his increasingly partisan political interventions.
Still, SpaceX, the sprawling rocket, satellite and AI company that together with electric-car maker Tesla form the center of Musk’s empire. It has raised a record $75 billion in its initial public offering that has highlighted investor enthusiasm for his business ventures and has surged in its first day of trading.
Following the share sale, Forbes pegged his net worth at roughly $1.1 trillion, far ahead of the man who is next in line, co-founder of Alphabet Larry Page.
Political Move and Connection
Musk became popular through Tesla (TSLA.O), after opening new tab and SpaceX, and before expanding his influence with the $44-billion acquisition of social media platform Twitter in 2022, now known as ‘X’.
The deal gave him a direct channel to hundreds of millions of users and made him a prominent personality. As he raised his voice on issues ranging from politics and immigration to government spending and free speech.
His move into politics, particularly his role in U.S. President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency last year, has been among his most quarrelsome ventures. The political fallout coincided with weakening Tesla sales in several international markets in 2025, as protests and consumer boycotts targeted the electric vehicle maker.