Elon Musk's $25 billion gain makes him the richest man alive

Elon Musk's $25 Billion Gain Makes Him the Richest Man Alive

In 2021, Elon Musk's net worth soared by an unprecedented $255.2 billion, positioning him as the richest person globally just before his 50th birthday.

Record-Breaking One-Day Increase

On a notably calm Monday in 2021, Musk's fortune jumped by $25 billion in a single day. This surge followed Tesla's stock rally after Hertz announced plans to buy 100,000 electric vehicles, mainly Model 3s, for its global fleet. The news sparked investor excitement, pushing Tesla's market value above the $1 trillion milestone for the first time, according to the Daily Star.

"By the close of that Monday, Musk's net worth had skyrocketed to a staggering $255.2 billion, as per Forbes estimates."

Unprecedented Wealth

This made Musk not only the richest person alive but arguably the wealthiest individual in modern history, surpassing anyone Forbes has ever tracked. For perspective, his net worth exceeded the combined worth of Google co-founder Larry Page and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Tesla Stock Performance

Tesla shares rose 12.6% that day.
The stock closed at $1,024.86 per share, up from around $910 the previous Friday.

"It was the kind of stock rally most CEOs can only dream of - but for Musk, it was just another day in the stratosphere."

Primary Source of Wealth

Musk's largest wealth source remains his 23% stake in Tesla, discounted for loans. He helped build Tesla nearly 20 years ago when electric cars were regarded as futuristic novelties.

Author’s summary: Elon Musk's extraordinary $25 billion single-day wealth increase in 2021 solidified his position as the richest person ever, driven by Tesla's monumental stock surge after Hertz's major EV purchase announcement.

Daily Express US — 2025-11-01