Elon Musk’s net worth crosses $980 billion after SpaceX IPO pricing

Elon Musk’s net worth surged to approximately $982 billion on Thursday after SpaceX priced its long-awaited initial public offering at $135 per share.

According to a Forbes report, the IPO valued the rocket and space exploration company at roughly $1.8 trillion, putting the world’s richest man firmly on course to become history’s first trillionaire.

The IPO pricing added an estimated $188 billion to Musk’s fortune in a single day, according to Forbes calculations, lifting him to within striking distance of the trillion-dollar threshold that no individual has ever crossed.

What they are saying

According to Forbes’ calculations based on company filings, Musk’s net worth is expected to exceed $1.1 trillion once SpaceX begins trading on Friday.

The report shows if SpaceX shares climb to just $138.50 when trading opens on Friday and Tesla holds steady at its current price of $399, Musk will become the world’s first trillionaire, a milestone no individual in recorded history has ever reached.

The alternative path to that threshold would require Tesla’s stock to rise from $399 to $424 per share while SpaceX stays at the $135 IPO price, though Forbes described that as a less likely scenario.

The listing also cements SpaceX’s place among the most valuable companies ever to go public, sitting alongside the likes of Saudi Aramco and Apple in terms of market capitalisation at the point of listing.

The SpaceX IPO marks a defining moment not just for Musk personally but for the broader narrative around private space exploration and AI-driven technology companies going public in 2026.

More insights

According to Forbes, the bulk of Musk’s fortune is now anchored in SpaceX.

He owns 4.8 billion SpaceX shares worth $644 billion, plus 350 million stock options with an exercise price of $8.40 per share, bringing his total SpaceX holding to approximately $688 billion and representing a 38% stake in the company.

Beyond SpaceX, Musk holds just over 10% of Tesla, which carries a market cap of $1.5 trillion, putting that stake at roughly $165 billion, with options to acquire a further 8% worth an additional $114 billion.

Smaller holdings in brain interface startup Neuralink and tunneling firm Boring Company, along with proceeds from previous Tesla share sales, round out the remainder of his wealth.

Before Thursday’s pricing, Forbes already estimated Musk’s net worth at roughly $780 billion, a figure that placed him far ahead of the next richest individual, Alphabet co-founder Larry Page.

What you should know

Earlier this month, Nairametrics reported that SpaceX was preparing to raise about $75 billion through what could become the largest initial public offering in history, with shares priced at a fixed $135 each.

This was a rare move that bypasses the traditional bookbuilding process, signalling strong confidence from founder Elon Musk that demand will be sufficient without price negotiations.

According to sources familiar with the matter, who spoke to Reuters, the rocket and satellite communications company planned to sell 555.6 million shares and is targeting a valuation of around $1.75 trillion when it lists on the Nasdaq under the ticker “SPCX.”