Elon Musk becomes first person worth $700 billion following pay
Elon Musk’s wealth surged past an unprecedented threshold late Friday, with estimates placing his net worth at roughly $749 billion. The leap came after the Delaware Supreme Court reinstated Tesla stock options valued at about $139 billion that had been voided last year, according to billionaire wealth estimates. The move vaults Musk well beyond the $700 billion mark, setting a new high-water line for individual fortunes.
The reinstatement centers on Musk’s 2018 performance-based compensation package, which a lower court had struck down two years ago as “unfathomable.” On Friday, the Supreme Court concluded that the 2024 ruling rescinding the award was improper and inequitable to Musk, clearing the way for the options to be restored. The decision adds significant potential value tied to long-term milestones that Musk and Tesla have pursued across production, profitability, and market capitalization.
The court victory capped a week of extraordinary gains for Musk. Earlier in the week, he reportedly became the first individual to surpass $600 billion in net worth, boosted by growing investor optimism around his aerospace company SpaceX amid reports it could move toward a public listing. The prospect of a blockbuster debut for SpaceX—coupled with ongoing enthusiasm for Tesla’s artificial intelligence and robotics initiatives—has fueled bullish sentiment around Musk’s broader portfolio.
Investor support for Musk’s leadership and long-range ambitions has been emphatic. On November 11, Tesla shareholders separately approved what was described as a $1 trillion pay plan for the CEO, billed as the largest corporate compensation package in history. The vote signaled strong endorsement for Musk’s bid to transform Tesla from a pure-play electric vehicle manufacturer into a diversified AI and robotics powerhouse, encompassing autonomous driving, humanoid robotics, and advanced manufacturing platforms.
For Tesla, the reinstated options and shareholder backing underscore a corporate strategy that is tightly bound to Musk’s execution and vision. Supporters argue that the scale of his compensation reflects the magnitude of value created for shareholders since his 2018 plan was first set, as well as the ambitious targets still ahead. Critics, however, continue to question the concentration of power and pay at the top, warning that such outsized packages may pose governance challenges.
For now, the combination of a favorable court decision, rising expectations around SpaceX, and a shareholder mandate at Tesla has propelled Musk into unprecedented territory. Whether this milestone becomes a stepping stone to even greater gains—or a high-water mark in a volatile market—will hinge on how effectively Tesla and Musk’s broader ventures deliver on their bold technological and financial promises.
What’s clear is that the latest developments have reshaped the conversation around executive compensation, corporate governance, and the value investors place on visionary leadership. As Tesla advances deeper into AI, autonomy, and robotics, and as SpaceX eyes potential public markets, the stakes—and the scrutiny—are set to rise along with them.
