Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has reportedly made history by becoming the first individual to reach an estimated net worth of $500 billion. According to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Musk's fortune was recorded at $499.1 billion as of 9:52 pm ET on Wednesday, with a Reuters report, also citing Forbes, indicating a peak of $500.1 billion by 4:15 pm ET on the same day. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index concurrently listed his wealth at $470 billion, underscoring this significant financial milestone.

A primary driver of Musk's unprecedented wealth is his substantial stake in Tesla, where he holds over 12.4% of shares as of September 15, 2025. Tesla's stock has demonstrated a strong performance this year, with a rise of over 14% year-to-date. On Wednesday alone, the stock closed 3.3% higher, adding more than $6 billion to Musk's net worth. This resurgence in investor confidence is attributed to Musk's renewed focus on the company, with board chair Robyn Denholm confirming his active involvement. Further solidifying this commitment, Musk recently disclosed a personal purchase of approximately $1 billion worth of Tesla shares, signaling a strong vote of confidence in the electric vehicle manufacturer as it increasingly pivots towards artificial intelligence and robotics.

In addition to Tesla, Musk's other ventures have also significantly contributed to his escalating wealth. His artificial intelligence firm, xAI, and the private rocket company, SpaceX, have both experienced substantial valuation surges this year, playing a crucial role in boosting his overall fortune.

This remarkable achievement places Elon Musk at the very top of the world's wealthiest individuals. As per Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, the updated list of the top 10 richest billionaires globally is as follows:

• Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX) – $499.1 billion
• Larry Ellison (Oracle) – $350.7 billion
• Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook) – $245.8 billion
• Jeff Bezos (Amazon) – $233.5 billion
• Larry Page (Google) – $203.7 billion
• Sergey Brin (Google) – $189.0 billion
• Jensen Huang (Nvidia) – $162.6 billion
• Bernard Arnault & family (LVMH) – $160.6 billion
• Steve Ballmer (Microsoft) – $156.4 billion
• Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway) – $148.5 billion