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The Verge AI
June 12, 2026
Funding & Investment

Elon Musk is the world's first trillionaire

Overview

Elon Musk's net worth has passed the trillion-dollar mark after SpaceX's IPO, making him the world's first trillionaire. His wealth, around $800 billion before the IPO, now includes the value of his 4.8 billion shares in SpaceX plus holdings in other companies like Tesla, with SPCX shares trading well above the $138 benchmark needed for a 13-figure net worth. Musk reached the milestone 110 years after John D. Rockefeller became the world's first billionaire in 1916.

Key Takeaways

  • Elon Musk became the world's first trillionaire after SpaceX's IPO pushed his net worth past $1 trillion.
  • Before the IPO his net worth was hovering around $800 billion.
  • His wealth includes 4.8 billion shares in SpaceX along with holdings in other companies like Tesla.
  • SPCX shares opened at $150 and stayed well above the $138 benchmark that gives Musk a 13-figure net worth.
  • SpaceX combined Musk's rocket, AI, and social media platforms earlier this year.
  • Musk reached the trillion-dollar mark 110 years after John D. Rockefeller became the first billionaire in 1916.

Stats & Key Facts

  • #Musk's net worth passed $1 trillion, making him the world's first trillionaire.
  • #His net worth was hovering around $800 billion before the IPO.
  • #He holds 4.8 billion shares in SpaceX.
  • #SPCX shares opened at $150, above the $138 benchmark for a 13-figure net worth.
  • #He reached the mark 110 years after Rockefeller became the first billionaire in 1916.
  • #Per Forbes, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Jeff Bezos, and Larry Ellison together are worth just over $1 trillion.
Elon Musk is the world's first trillionaire

Crossing the trillion-dollar line

The SpaceX IPO pushed Musk past a historic threshold.

  • Musk's net worth passed the trillion-dollar mark after SpaceX's IPO.
  • Before the IPO, his net worth was hovering around $800 billion.
  • He is now the first trillionaire ever.

The article frames the milestone with the line "One million million dollars." The IPO is identified as the event that lifted Musk over the trillion-dollar mark.

The jump is steep. Going from around $800 billion to more than $1 trillion means the SpaceX offering alone added roughly the difference, pushing Musk into territory no individual had reached before.

The IPO trades under the ticker SPCX. The article ties the milestone directly to that listing rather than to a broad rally across his holdings, making the SpaceX debut the key event in the story.

What makes up his net worth

  • His net worth includes the value of his 4.8 billion shares in SpaceX.
  • It also includes wealth from his other companies, like Tesla.
  • SPCX shares opened at $150 and have remained well above the $138 benchmark that gives Musk a 13-figure net worth.

The $138 per share level is the threshold tied to Musk reaching a 13-figure net worth. With shares opening at $150 and staying above that mark, the trillion-dollar valuation held.

The structure of the wealth matters too. A large share of it is paper value tied to his 4.8 billion SpaceX shares, which means the trillion-dollar figure rises and falls with where SPCX trades, while his stakes in other companies like Tesla add to the total.

The combined SpaceX company

SpaceX now bundles several of Musk's ventures.

  • SpaceX combined Musk's rocket, AI, and social media platforms earlier this year.
  • Its S-1 states a goal to make life multiplanetary, understand the true nature of the universe, and extend the light of consciousness to the stars.
  • It claims to be uniquely positioned to deliver on orbital AI compute.

The orbital AI compute concept involves putting AI data center servers in space via reusable rockets. This ties the AI ambitions directly to SpaceX's launch capabilities.

By combining the rocket, AI, and social media platforms earlier this year, the company presents itself as uniquely positioned to deliver on that orbital compute idea. The S-1's stated goals, making life multiplanetary, understanding the universe, and extending the light of consciousness to the stars, frame the venture in sweeping terms.

How his wealth compares

  • Musk is now worth, on paper, roughly as much as the next four wealthiest people in the world combined.
  • According to Forbes, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Jeff Bezos, and Larry Ellison together are worth just over $1 trillion.
  • Bezos and Ellison each have less than a fourth of Musk's net worth.

The comparison underscores the scale of the milestone. The combined wealth of four of the next-richest people only just reaches the level Musk holds on his own.

The article notes that Bezos and Ellison each have less than a fourth of Musk's net worth. That detail sharpens the gap, showing how far ahead of the rest of the Forbes list Musk now sits.

A historical milestone

  • Musk passed the $1 trillion mark 110 years after John D. Rockefeller became the world's first billionaire.
  • Rockefeller reached that billionaire milestone in 1916.
  • The article presents Musk's trillionaire status as the next step up that ladder.

Framing the achievement against Rockefeller places it in a long arc of wealth records. The 110-year gap marks the jump from the first billionaire to the first trillionaire.

The article also reports a related milestone: the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires list adding a trillionaire. Together these points present Musk's status as a first not just for him but for the standard measures of extreme wealth.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did Elon Musk become a trillionaire?

His net worth passed the trillion-dollar mark after SpaceX's IPO, which lifted him from around $800 billion before the offering.

What is included in Musk's net worth?

It includes the value of his 4.8 billion shares in SpaceX along with his wealth from other companies like Tesla.

What share price keeps Musk a trillionaire?

SPCX shares opened at $150 and have stayed well above the $138 benchmark that gives Musk a 13-figure net worth.

How does Musk's wealth compare to others?

He is worth roughly as much as the next four wealthiest people combined. Per Forbes, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Jeff Bezos, and Larry Ellison together are worth just over $1 trillion.

Why is the timing historically notable?

Musk passed the $1 trillion mark 110 years after John D. Rockefeller became the world's first billionaire in 1916.

SpaceX's IPO made Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire, 110 years after the first billionaire, with his SpaceX stake and other holdings exceeding the next four richest people combined.

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Originally published by The Verge AI
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