KiloElon Musk is the favorite to become the world's first trillionaire. He's worth about $840 billion in 2026, roughly $160 billion short of $1 trillion, and no one else is close. The second-richest person, Larry Page, is worth about $257 billion, which puts Musk nearly $400 billion ahead of the field. No individual has ever reached a $1 trillion net worth. Whoever does it first will cross a line no one has crossed before. Follow the race live on the trillionaire tracker, and see the full standings on the richest person in the world page.
The race to the first $1 trillion fortune
| # | Name | Net worth |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $840B |
| 2 | Larry Page | $257B |
| 3 | Sergey Brin | $237B |
| 4 | Jeff Bezos | $224B |
| 5 | Mark Zuckerberg | $222B |
| 6 | Larry Ellison | $190B |
| 7 | Bernard Arnault | $171B |
Only Musk is within striking distance. He needs about $160 billion more to reach $1 trillion. Everyone else needs to roughly quadruple their fortune just to catch up to where Musk is now, and then add another $160 billion on top. The contest, for now, is Musk against the milestone, not against the rest of the list.
Why Elon Musk leads
Musk's lead comes from owning huge stakes in companies the market values in the hundreds of billions. His piece of SpaceX, the most valuable private company in the world at about $800 billion, is worth more than $300 billion on its own. His Tesla stake is worth roughly $200 billion, and his half of the AI company xAI adds about $100 billion more. No one else holds a single stake the size of his SpaceX position. When any one of those three valuations rises, his net worth jumps with it. That's the mechanism that could carry him past $1 trillion. Read the full breakdown on Elon Musk's net worth.
When could it happen?
At his recent pace, Musk could cross $1 trillion within 12 to 18 months. It isn't guaranteed. His fortune is tied to three companies, and a drop in any of them pushes the date back. A pullback in Tesla stock, a down round at SpaceX or xAI, or a broad market slump would slow him down. The other path is a Tesla pay package. Shareholders approved a plan that could hand Musk a stake worth close to $1 trillion if Tesla hits a set of steep targets over the next decade. Either way, Musk is the only person with a realistic shot at the title in the near term. Everyone else on the richest person list is too far back.
Frequently asked questions
Who will be the first trillionaire?
Elon Musk is the favorite. He's worth about $840 billion in 2026, roughly $160 billion short of $1 trillion, and nearly $400 billion ahead of the next-richest person.
Has anyone reached $1 trillion net worth yet?
No. No individual has ever crossed $1 trillion in personal net worth. Musk is the closest at about $840 billion.
When will there be a trillionaire?
At Musk's recent pace, he could cross $1 trillion within 12 to 18 months. It depends on the values of Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, so a drop in any of them pushes the date back.
How far ahead is Elon Musk?
About $400 billion. Musk is worth roughly $840 billion. The second-richest person, Larry Page, is worth about $257 billion.
What would make Elon Musk a trillionaire?
Rising valuations for Tesla, SpaceX and xAI, where his biggest stakes sit. A Tesla pay package that vests on steep targets could also push him past $1 trillion.