Elon Musk Begins 2025 as World’s Richest Person, Surpassing $400 Billion in Net Worth – Forbes Reports

As the calendar turns to 2025, Elon Musk takes the top spot as the world’s wealthiest individual, with a net worth surpassing $400 billion for the first time ever, according to Forbes. Musk’s fortune, primarily tied to Tesla and SpaceX, has ballooned dramatically, securing his place at the summit of global billionaires.

Forbes reports that Musk’s wealth has surged by $91 billion just in December, largely due to the $350 billion valuation placed on SpaceX. This recent leap propelled his net worth to a staggering $421.2 billion, marking a new milestone in his career. Musk’s rise was also notable for another reason: in December, he was appointed co-head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by President Donald Trump.

Musk now leads a group of top-tier billionaires whose collective wealth as of January 1, 2025, reaches an incredible $1.9 trillion—up from $1.8 trillion the previous month. Other notable names in the elite group include Jeff Bezos, who reclaimed the second position, and Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, who made his debut in the top 10. Huang’s entry is a testament to the explosive growth in the semiconductor industry, with Nvidia’s stock soaring by 171% in 2024.

Here’s a breakdown of the top 10 richest people in the world as of January 1, 2025:

1. Elon Musk
   Net Worth: $421.2 billion
   Source: Tesla, SpaceX, X, xAI
   Age: 53
   Citizenship: U.S.
   Musk’s immense fortune is derived from his leadership of Tesla, SpaceX, and several other high-profile ventures.
2. Jeff Bezos
   Net Worth: $233.5 billion
   Source: Amazon
   Age: 60
   Citizenship: U.S.
   Bezos reclaims second place after Amazon shares rose 5% in December, adding $10 billion to his net worth.
3. Larry Ellison
   Net Worth: $209.7 billion
   Source: Oracle
   Age: 80
   Citizenship: U.S.
   While Oracle’s stock dipped, Ellison remains firmly in third place.
4. Mark Zuckerberg
   Net Worth: $202.5 billion
   Source: Meta (Facebook)
   Age: 40
   Citizenship: U.S.
   Meta’s 1.9% stock increase has slightly boosted Zuckerberg’s fortune.
5. Bernard Arnault
   Net Worth: $168.8 billion
   Source: LVMH
   Age: 75
   Citizenship: France
   Arnault’s wealth grew by $8.5 billion thanks to the performance of LVMH stock.
6. Larry Page
   Net Worth: $157.9 billion
   Source: Google (Alphabet)
   Age: 51
   Citizenship: U.S.
   Page’s wealth continues to be tied to the dominance of Google.
7. Sergey Brin
   Net Worth: $153.4 billion
   Source: Google (Alphabet)
   Age: 50
   Citizenship: U.S.
   Brin benefits from Alphabet’s ongoing success, maintaining a spot among the wealthiest.
8. Warren Buffett
   Net Worth: $139.6 billion
   Source: Berkshire Hathaway
   Age: 94
   Citizenship: U.S.
   Buffett’s fortune saw a dip of $8.9 billion, primarily due to a 6% decline in Berkshire Hathaway’s stock value.
9. Steve Ballmer
   Net Worth: $123.5 billion
   Source: Microsoft
   Age: 68
   Citizenship: U.S.
   Ballmer’s wealth dipped slightly by $500 million but remains firmly above the $100 billion mark.
10. Jensen Huang
    Net Worth: $118 billion
    Source: Nvidia
    Age: 61
    Citizenship: U.S.
    Huang enters the top 10 for the first time, as Nvidia’s stock experienced a remarkable 171% rise in 2024.

Notably, all but one of the top 10 billionaires are American men. Musk’s rise is a testament to the volatility and unpredictability of the billionaire rankings, where shifts in stock prices, company valuations, and market conditions can dramatically alter the landscape from one month to the next.