Elon Musk's Net Worth Surpasses $700 Billion Following Delaware Supreme Court Ruling
The Delaware Supreme Court has reinstated Elon Musk's 2018 Tesla stock options, which are valued at approximately $139 billion (£103 billion). This restoration has propelled Musk's net worth beyond $700 billion, with Forbes estimating his wealth at about $749 billion (£559 billion), solidifying his position as the world's richest person, nearly $500 billion ahead of Larry Page.
These 2018 stock options were initially worth around $56 billion at the time of the grant but were struck down by a lower court in 2024 as unfathomable. The Supreme Court overturned that decision, ruling that Musk had been uncompensated and that the lower court's verdict was improper and inequitable. If Musk exercises all of these options, his Tesla ownership stake would increase from approximately 12.4% to about 18.1% of an expanded share base.
In November 2025, Tesla awarded Musk a pay plan potentially worth up to $1 trillion. This plan includes ambitious milestones such as delivering 20 million vehicles and 1 million Robotaxis, securing 10 million subscriptions to Tesla's self-driving service, and generating up to $400 billion in core profit. Achieving all these targets would yield more than 400 million additional options. Tesla's current market valuation stands at around $1.51 trillion, but meeting the plan's benchmarks could increase the company's value to $8.5 trillion, unlocking the higher payout.
Musk has not released a formal statement regarding the reinstatement but has expressed on X that he feels vindicated by the court ruling.
