Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk is not only the world’s richest man, but the first person to ever surpass USD 420 billion in net worth. As of last evening, Forbes valued Elon Musk’s total assets—including Tesla, X (Formerly Twitter), and SpaceX—to be worth a whopping USD 428 billion.
This came at the heel of yesterday’s Bloomberg report of a SpaceX deal citing four persons privy to the transaction. According to the report, SpaceX and its investors agreed to buy back shares of the company at USD 185 apiece. This is a stark jump—65 per cent, to be exact—from when employees sold their stake for USD 112 per share in September.
The total buyback deal is at USD 1.25 billion, putting SpaceX at a USD 350 billion valuation.
Musk’s undisputed spot at the top of the richest puts him at the front and centre of the world’s most influential capitalist nation, the United States of America. Last month, Musk was instrumental in Donald Trump’s successful presidential bid and was seen as a close friend of the president-elect. Trump also doubled down on the Musk connection when he picked the billionaire to co-lead the newly formed US Department of Government Efficiency.
Tesla crosses USD 420 per share, hits all-time high
Musk’s fortunes in his other ventures have also soared. Ever since the Trump win, Tesla stock has been up more than 60 per cent. The electric car giant crossed USD 420 apiece earlier on Thursday, and now boasts a market cap of over USD 1.3 trillion. The multibillionaire’s AI startup also doubled in valuation in under six months to almost USD 50 billion, after successfully raising USD 6 billion last week.
SpaceX holds bragging rights for being the first non-government entity to transport people to the International Space Station back in 2020. Trump’s latest pick for NASA administrator, billionaire Jared Isaacman, was also a regular SpaceX supporter. In fact, reports suggest that Isaacman’s planned private astronaut missions with SpaceX might take a pause due to the latest appointment.
Musk’s fortunes continue to grow in SpaceX, Tesla, and his other firms, along with his bets getting paid off in the political landscape. Many now wonder, what is next for the richest man in the world?
