Elon Musk has made history. The tech entrepreneur and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla is now the first person ever to reach a net worth of $600 billion — roughly Ksh 76.8 trillion.
The milestone came after SpaceX, the private space company he founded, announced a tender offer valuing the firm at $800 billion. The announcement added an estimated $168 billion to Musk’s fortune in a single day.
Musk’s wealth is no longer tied solely to Tesla. He owns about 42 per cent of SpaceX, which now accounts for the majority of his fortune. He also holds roughly 12 per cent of Tesla, currently valued near $197 billion. Tesla’s shares have climbed 13 per cent this year, and a $1 trillion compensation package approved in November further boosted his wealth.
In addition to these flagship companies, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is reportedly seeking $15 billion in funding at a $230 billion valuation. Analysts say such a deal could add another $60 billion to his net worth.
Musk has been candid about his vision for the future. In a recent interview, he suggested that advances in AI and robotics could one day make money itself less relevant. “Machines may handle most human needs,” he said.
The SpaceX valuation also makes it the most valuable private company in the world. If the firm goes public next year with a target of $1.5 trillion, Musk’s 42 per cent stake could be worth more than $625 billion. That would put him on course to become the world’s first trillionaire.
Experts say Musk’s wealth surge is a combination of rising SpaceX shares, Tesla’s strong performance, and early bets on AI technology. “This is unprecedented in modern financial history,” said Fiona Smith, a tech investment analyst at London-based Global Insight. “It reflects both his business acumen and the growing appetite for space and AI ventures.”
Yet wealth at this scale is not without debate. Critics argue that extreme fortunes highlight widening inequality. “The gap between billionaires and ordinary workers is staggering,” noted economist James Ochieng.
For now, Musk’s $600 billion milestone cements his place in history, even as the future holds the possibility of him reaching an entirely new financial frontier.
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