Elon Musk has reclaimed the top spot as the world’s richest person after briefly being overtaken by Oracle founder Larry Ellison. Here’s how the billionaire shuffle unfolded.
Musk Reclaims the Billionaire Crown
Elon Musk is once again the world’s richest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO briefly lost the top spot this week to Larry Ellison, the 81-year-old co-founder of Oracle.
On September 10, Ellison’s net worth surged to $393 billion after Oracle shares jumped more than 40% following stronger-than-expected quarterly results. This temporary boost pushed him ahead of Musk, who sat at $385 billion at the time.
But by the end of the day, Oracle’s share price slipped, allowing Musk to reclaim his position at the very top of the global wealth rankings.
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Musk’s Rollercoaster Wealth
This isn’t the first time Musk’s billionaire crown has shifted. Since first taking the title in 2021, he has temporarily lost it to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault during market swings.
Musk’s wealth is tied largely to Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), making his fortune highly sensitive to stock performance.
Massive Tesla Pay Package on the Horizon
Musk’s financial future may grow even larger thanks to a proposed Tesla board pay package. The deal would grant him up to 423.7 million additional shares over the next decade if the company achieves ambitious growth targets.
At Tesla’s current share price, these stocks could be worth $148.7 billion. In the best-case scenario, analysts suggest the package might bring Musk close to $1 trillion in added wealth.
However, there’s a big condition: Tesla must reach a market value of $8.5 trillion—a figure twice as high as any company has ever been valued in history.
What This Means for Musk
Industry experts say the package is designed to keep Musk focused on Tesla, especially after his recent involvement with politics and side projects.
As Gene Munster of Deepwater Asset Management put it:
“The board’s message is clear: We want your attention on Tesla. Implicit in that message is the promise that he’ll gain the control he’s seeking and that it will be worth his time.”
With Tesla, SpaceX, and X all playing major roles in his empire, Musk’s financial standing remains volatile—but for now, he has reclaimed his place as the richest person in the world.
