iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Elon Musk’s personal wealth has surged to unprecedented levels after a U.S. court decision revived a massive Tesla pay package, pushing the billionaire closer to becoming the world’s first trillionaire.
According to Forbes’ billionaires index, Musk’s net worth has climbed to nearly $750 billion following a ruling by the Delaware Supreme Court that reinstated Tesla stock options worth about $139 billion.
The court overturned a lower-court decision that had struck down Musk’s 2018 compensation plan.
The ruling reversed a 2024 judgment that had canceled the package and left Musk without compensation for several years of work at Tesla. With the pay deal restored, Musk can now exercise stock options that significantly increase his ownership stake in the electric vehicle company.
The 2018 compensation package allows Musk to buy around 304 million Tesla shares at a discounted price if the company met specific market value and operational targets.
Based on Tesla’s closing stock price on Friday, the options are valued at roughly $139 billion. If Musk exercises all of them, his stake in Tesla would rise from about 12.4 percent to around 18.1 percent, taking into account an expanded share base.
Tesla’s board had previously warned that Musk, who also leads SpaceX, could step away from Tesla if his compensation was blocked. The court decision appears to have removed that uncertainty.
Musk’s wealth has already been rising sharply in recent weeks. Earlier this week, he became the first person to cross a net worth of $600 billion after reports suggested that SpaceX may move toward a public listing.
SpaceX is reportedly preparing a tender offer that values the company at about $800 billion, which alone added an estimated $168 billion to Musk’s fortune, taking it to around $677 billion at the time.
SpaceX is now aiming for an initial public offering next year that could value the company at as much as $1.5 trillion. Musk’s holdings in Tesla remain another major pillar of his wealth, with his existing 12 percent stake valued at about $197 billion, excluding stock options.
Beyond Tesla and SpaceX, Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, xAI Holdings, is also contributing to his rising net worth. The company is reportedly in talks to raise fresh funding at a valuation of around $230 billion. Musk owns about 53 percent of xAI Holdings, a stake estimated to be worth roughly $60 billion.
With key assets across electric vehicles, space, and artificial intelligence gaining value at the same time, Musk’s fortune is now closer than ever to the trillion-dollar mark, a milestone no individual has yet reached.
photo: IANS/Twitter