NEW YORK — Elon Musk is moving closer to becoming the world’s first trillionaire, as soaring valuations for Tesla and SpaceX continue to push his fortune to record levels.
Musk remains the world’s richest person, with Forbes estimating his real-time net worth at about $814 billion as of May 22, 2026. Forbes separately listed his fortune at about $782 billion in its May ranking of the world’s richest people, reflecting the volatility of Tesla shares and private-market valuations tied to SpaceX.
The renewed focus on Musk’s wealth follows reports that SpaceX is preparing for a major public listing. The Guardian reported that SpaceX has announced plans for a Nasdaq debut under the ticker SPCX, targeting a valuation of about $1.75 trillion. If completed at or above that level, the offering could lift Musk’s paper fortune past the trillion-dollar mark, depending on the final share price and how markets value his holdings.
Musk’s wealth is tied mainly to his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX, rather than cash. Tesla remains one of the world’s most valuable companies, while SpaceX has become central to global launch services, satellite internet and U.S. government space contracts. Business Insider reported that new SpaceX filing details also reduced assumptions about Musk’s personal debt tied to pledged shares, helping lift some wealth estimates.
Some reports have already described Musk as the first trillionaire, but major wealth trackers have not uniformly confirmed that milestone. Forbes’ latest publicly available real-time estimate still places him below $1 trillion, while projections suggest the threshold could be crossed if SpaceX’s IPO prices strongly or if Tesla shares rise further.
The prospect highlights the extraordinary concentration of wealth in the technology sector. Musk’s fortune has risen alongside investor enthusiasm for electric vehicles, reusable rockets, satellite internet, artificial intelligence and space infrastructure. SpaceX’s Starlink business has become a major revenue driver, while the company’s broader ambitions now extend into advanced computing and space-based data systems.
Still, Musk’s wealth remains highly volatile. A major decline in Tesla shares, a weaker-than-expected SpaceX listing or changes in private-company valuations could sharply reduce his estimated net worth. Conversely, a successful SpaceX IPO could make the trillionaire milestone a reality.
For now, the safest conclusion is that Musk has not been universally verified as a trillionaire, but he is closer than any individual in modern financial history to reaching that mark.
