Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire.

Few business leaders have managed to become a pop culture icon. Elon Musk has managed it. And now he's the world's first trillionaire, reports Reuters.

In recent years, the topic of wealth inequality has become increasingly controversial, and attitudes toward the ultra-rich have noticeably worsened. Despite this, Elon Musk, despite his colossal fortune, has managed to maintain a strong, loyal following. At the same time, he doesn't try to play nice with people or cultivate the "one of the guys" image that once helped billionaires like Warren Buffett win over the general public.

Musk's supporters consider his blunt and direct manner of communication part of his appeal. Critics, on the other hand, point to the excessive concentration of power in the entrepreneur's companies, comparing it to an oligarchic system.

Nevertheless, SpaceX—a company working in rocketry, satellite technology, and artificial intelligence—raised a record $75 billion. This demonstrates the level of investor interest in Musk's projects. Forbes estimates his net worth at approximately $780 billion, significantly higher than that of his closest competitor, Alphabet co-founder Larry Page.

On the subject: How to effectively manage time: Elon Musk's time management technique

According to Forbes Wealth Deputy Editor Matt Dureau, the second-richest person's net worth is hovering around $300 billion—less than a third of Musk's potential wealth.

"And only one person, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, has ever approached the $400 billion mark," Dureau emphasized.

Musk's main wealth is concentrated in SpaceX, where his stake is valued at approximately $866 billion. Taking into account Tesla and other assets, the businessman's total wealth, according to Reuters calculations, is on track to exceed $1,1 trillion.
Musk rose to prominence thanks to Tesla and SpaceX. In 2022, he significantly expanded his influence after purchasing the social network Twitter for $44 billion. This deal gave him direct access to hundreds of millions of users and made him one of the most prominent figures in public discourse.

His involvement in politics, including his tenure last year on Trump's government effectiveness committee, has become one of the most controversial episodes of Musk's biography. It coincided with Tesla's declining sales in international markets in 2025.

Elon Musk was born in Pretoria, South Africa, to a South African father and a Canadian mother. He attended the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1997.

In 2008, Musk took over as CEO of Tesla. According to some analysts, Tesla's success and its market capitalization of over $1 trillion have forced traditional automakers to accelerate their transition to electric vehicles.

Many investors expect it to achieve comparable impact in the space industry and artificial intelligence. However, SpaceX still requires significant investment, and a significant portion of its valuation is based on technologies that are still a long way from commercialization.

In addition to Tesla and SpaceX, Musk co-founded five other companies, including The Boring Company and Neuralink.

As CEO of Tesla, he was constantly at the center of controversy. He is credited with turning Tesla into the most valuable automaker in the world. For a long time, major automakers underestimated the company and doubted the startup could mass-produce electric vehicles.

"He brought back respect for American engineering in the automobile industry," said former General Motors vice chairman Bob Lutz.

At the same time, Tesla has faced lawsuits and shareholder claims related to the company's management, particularly Musk's 2018 compensation package, which was valued at $56 billion.

Musk's influence has become so pervasive that analysts have begun calling the sum of his businesses "Musconomics." The concept of an "Elon premium" has even emerged—a premium to companies' valuations based less on financial performance than on investor confidence in his vision.

The concentration of such influence in the hands of one entrepreneur has heightened concerns about corporate governance, conflicts of interest, and companies becoming overly dependent on a single figure.

Over the years, Musk has regularly clashed with regulators, billionaires, short-selling investors, journalists, and media outlets, including Reuters. These disputes often unfolded on social media.

His alliance with Donald Trump followed a familiar pattern. Musk supported Trump's return to the White House and became one of his closest advisers.

Their relationship later deteriorated over policy and government spending disagreements, escalating into a public conflict. However, both sides subsequently softened their rhetoric.

You may be interested in: top New York news, stories of our immigrants, and helpful tips about life in the Big Apple - read it all on ForumDaily New York

For many investors, however, Musk's unconventional behavior remains secondary to his ability to turn ambitious ideas into world-class companies.

"Elon is the Edison of our time," said JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon. The banker, who was previously involved in a protracted legal dispute with Musk, now speaks of him with respect. Last year, Dimon told CNBC that they had "made peace" and called Musk "our Einstein."

Read also on ForumDaily:

Over the past six months, the US has accepted only white refugees from South Africa; those from other countries are not given asylum.

A man drowned a Tesla Cybertruck to see if it could cross a lake.

AI has taken jobs from 55 Americans: Which companies have laid off the most employees?

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis.