Where does Elon Musk's money come from?
Elon Musk is the richest man in the world, but where does this money come from? Most of it comes from his stakes at Tesla and SpaceX.
Tesla, the electric car and energy company, is Musk's main wealth generator. As of 2025, he owns about 13% of Tesla. The company's success in electric cars, battery tech, and self-driving has made it the most valuable car maker.
Musk also owns 42% of SpaceX, which was at $350 billion in December 2024, SpaceX's reusable rockets and NASA contracts have played a big role in growing Musk's fortune. His other ventures include X, formerly known as Twitter, XAI, which is his artificial intelligence company, The Boring Company, a tunnel building company worth $3.3 billion and he made about $180 million from the sale of paper. Which helped start his other ventures.
Tesla benefits from electric vehicle incentives, while SpaceX gets big contracts from NASA and other companies. These have helped Musk's companies grow. Musk's wealth is tied to his companies, meaning it can rise and fall based on their performances. Despite the fluctuations, he continues to expand his business empire, taking on new challenges in space, AI, and infrastructure.
