Elon Musk, the visionary CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has officially become the richest person in history with a staggering net worth of $334.3 billion, as per Forbes. This remarkable achievement comes on the heels of a Tesla stock surge, fueled by growing investor confidence following US President-elect Donald Trumps pro-business policies.Teslas stock has soared 40% since Election Day, closing at $352.56 on Friday, the highest price in three years. Fridays 3.8% increase alone added $7 billion to Musks fortune, pushing his wealth past the previous record of $320.3 billion, which he achieved during Teslas pandemic-era boom in November 2021.Political ties and economic optimismMusks endorsement of President-elect Trump and a $100 million donation to his campaign have further boosted investor confidence. Musk has been appointed chair of the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a role he will share with biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Analysts predict Trumps deregulation agenda will significantly benefit Tesla, particularly its Full Self-Driving technology, which has faced regulatory hurdles.Diverse ventures bolstering wealthMusks fortune isnt solely tied to Tesla. His 60% stake in xAI, a private artificial intelligence firm valued at $50 billion, contributes $13 billion to his net worth. Additionally, his 42% stake in SpaceX, valued at $210 billion in a recent tender offer, adds another $88 billion. Speculation over SpaceXs upcoming funding round, which could value the company at $250 billion, suggests further gains for Musk, potentially adding $18 billion to his wealth.Wealth gap and market contextMusks $334.3 billion net worth puts him $80 billion ahead of Oracle chairman Larry Ellison, the worlds second-richest individual. While Tesla shares remain 14% below their all-time high from 2021, Musks entrepreneurial ventures and strategic political ties position him for sustained dominance.
