Elon Musk becomes the first person ever worth $800 billion after SpaceX acquires xAI in a $1.25 trillion merger, widening the global wealth gap

Elon Musk has set a new world record, becoming the first person in history to surpass $800 billion in net worth, following the merger of SpaceX and his AI and social media company xAI.

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According to Forbes, Musk’s fortune jumped to $852 billion, an increase of $84 billion, after SpaceX acquired xAI in a deal valuing the combined company at $1.25 trillion.

Before the merger, Musk owned 42% of SpaceX (worth $336 billion) and 49% of xAI (valued at $122 billion).

After the consolidation, he now holds a 43% stake in the $1.25 trillion entity, estimated at $542 billion. SpaceX remains his most valuable asset.

Musk also owns 12% of Tesla, worth $178 billion, alongside $124 billion in stock options, not including a shareholder-approved pay package that could potentially add $1 trillion if Tesla meets its growth targets.

This is Musk’s second major merger in less than a year. Last March, xAI merged with X (formerly Twitter), raising scrutiny over valuations.

The current merger consolidates his AI, space, and social media ventures under SpaceX, which is planning a public IPO later this year.

Musk Widens Lead Over Global Billionaires

With this milestone, Musk has opened an unprecedented gap between himself and other billionaires worldwide. Forbes’ latest ranking of the world’s richest people shows:

1. Elon Musk: $852.5B
2.  Larry Page: $277.9B
3.  Sergey Brin: $256.3B
4. Jeff Bezos: $249.3B
5. Mark Zuckerberg: $237B

Nigerian Billionaires’ Standings

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, now ranks 86th globally with a net worth of $26.3 billion, built mainly on cement and sugar businesses. Other Nigerians on the list include:

•  Abdulsamad Rabiu: $10B (Global rank 320)
•  Mike Adenuga: $6.4B (Global rank 616)
•  Femi Otedola: $1.6B (Global rank 2,296)

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Recently, Femi Otedola sold his controlling stake in Geregu Power Plc in a ₦1.088 trillion ($750 million) transaction, transferring control to MA’AM Energy Ltd, an Abuja-based integrated energy company.