Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has seen his fortune shrink significantly amid a steep decline in Tesla’s stock value. The electric vehicle giant has been grappling with market volatility, with its share price plummeting by more than 40 per cent from its peak. According to Forbes’ real-time calculations, Musk’s net worth took a $7.1 billion hit on Tuesday, bringing his total fortune down to $347.7 billion.
This marks a staggering $116.3 billion drop from its all-time high of $464 billion recorded on December 17, when Tesla shares closed at a record $480 per share.
However, Tesla’s stock has struggled in the weeks since, closing at $272 on Tuesday — the lowest it has been since Election Day. The broader market also faced turbulence, with the S&P 500 dipping over 1 per cent to reach a new low for the year. The downturn coincided with the implementation of tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico by former President Donald Trump, which weighed on investor sentiment.
Musk's Loss: Context & Impact
Tesla remains particularly vulnerable to trade policies as China is its second-largest market, and its supply chain is heavily reliant on components from Canada. Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Vaibhav Taneja previously acknowledged these challenges, stating in January, “Tariffs will have an impact on our business and profitability” as the company continues to depend on global suppliers for its operations.
To put Musk’s $116 billion decline into context, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, currently the 13th wealthiest individual globally, has a net worth of $108.1 billion. Meanwhile, India’s richest businessman, Mukesh Ambani, holds a fortune of $85.6 billion — meaning Musk’s losses alone exceed the total wealth of these billionaires.
Tesla’s Market Performance
Despite the recent slump, Tesla’s stock remains up 8 per cent from Election Day, though this is a sharp contrast to the 91 per cent rally it experienced before hitting its peak in December. The initial surge was largely fueled by Wall Street’s optimism that Musk’s nearly $300 million in contributions to Trump and GOP election efforts would result in favorable policy shifts, particularly in reducing regulatory hurdles for Tesla’s self-driving technology.
Even after the downturn, Musk’s financial standing remains formidable. He is still $83.3 billion richer than he was on Election Day, bolstered in part by the growing valuations of his other ventures, including SpaceX and xAI.