The brief moment in September when Oracle’s Larry Ellison surpassed Elon Musk as the world’s richest person now seems like a distant footnote in a year of Musk’s utter dominance. By crossing the $500 billion net worth threshold, Musk has dramatically widened the gap, ending any debate about which tech titan reigns supreme.
According to Bloomberg’s index, which had chronicled the brief change at the top, Musk’s fortune now stands at $470 billion, a staggering $121 billion more than Ellison’s $349 billion. Forbes’s estimate of $499 billion for Musk makes the gap even more pronounced. This difference alone is larger than the entire net worth of most of the world’s top billionaires.
The divergence in their fortunes can be traced to the explosive growth of Musk’s primary asset, Tesla. The electric carmaker’s stock has rallied 13% in 2025, driven by overwhelming operational success, including the recent delivery of nearly half a million vehicles in a single quarter.
While Ellison’s wealth is impressive, Oracle’s mature business software model does not offer the same potential for exponential growth that investors see in Musk’s portfolio of future-focused companies. Musk’s holdings in SpaceX and xAI provide additional avenues for massive value creation that are unique to his empire.
The rivalry, if there ever was one, is settled for now. Musk has not only reclaimed his throne but has built a fortress around it, using the unparalleled performance of his companies to create a buffer of wealth that places him in a league of his own.