Top 10 Richest People in the World — February 2026
By Governance Today Nigeria | Global Report
Elon Musk’s fortune has soared to unprecedented heights following the merger of SpaceX and xAI, pushing his estimated net worth beyond $850 billion and placing him on a historic path toward the $1 trillion mark — a first in modern financial history.
Who Is Elon Musk? (Background & Rise)
Elon Reeve Musk, born June 28, 1971, in Pretoria, South Africa, is a South African-born American entrepreneur, engineer, and technology investor. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential — and controversial — business figures of the 21st century.
Education & Early Career
Musk moved to North America to pursue education and entrepreneurship. He earned degrees in economics and physics from the University of Pennsylvania and briefly attended Stanford University before dropping out to launch his first startup.
First Ventures
Zip2 Corporation (1999): A city guide software firm sold to Compaq for nearly $300 million.
X.com → PayPal (2002): Founded an online payments company that became PayPal, later sold to eBay for $1.5 billion, securing Musk’s first major fortune.
Founding Major Tech & Engineering Companies
SpaceX (2002): Aerospace company pioneering reusable rockets, commercial spaceflight, and Mars exploration.
Tesla (2004): Electric vehicle and clean energy giant, now a global EV leader.
Neuralink (2016): Neurotechnology firm developing brain–computer interfaces.
The Boring Company (2016): Infrastructure and tunneling company addressing urban transportation.
xAI (2023): Artificial intelligence company focused on advanced AI systems.
X (formerly Twitter, acquired 2022): Social media platform integrated into Musk’s broader tech ecosystem.
Musk also co-founded OpenAI, though he is no longer directly involved in its operations.
Elon Musk’s Major Business Portfolio
SpaceX
Founded to reduce the cost of space travel and enable human settlement on Mars. Key projects include Falcon rockets, Dragon spacecraft, Starlink satellite internet, and the Starship heavy-lift rocket.
Tesla
A global leader in electric vehicles and battery technology, Tesla remains a cornerstone of Musk’s wealth despite market volatility.
xAI and AI Strategy
xAI develops generative AI technologies, including Grok, and has now been integrated into SpaceX following the latest merger.
Other Ventures
Neuralink and The Boring Company reinforce Musk’s focus on “future-tech” sectors with transformative potential.
Net Worth & Wealth Milestones (2026)
Current Estimated Net Worth
According to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List (February 2026), Musk’s net worth now exceeds $850 billion, following SpaceX’s acquisition of xAI.
Estimated Net Worth: ~$852+ billion (Forbes)
Largest Asset: SpaceX, now Musk’s single biggest wealth driver
Tesla Holdings: Approximately 12% stake plus stock options
Bloomberg Estimate: ~$690 billion (highlighting differences in valuation methodologies)
Wealth Trajectory
$100B — late 2010s
$300B — 2021
$400B–$700B — early 2020s
$800B+ — early 2026
Musk is now widely regarded as the richest individual in modern recorded history.
Historical Comparison: Musk vs. Mansa Musa
While legendary figures such as Mansa Musa of the Mali Empire are often cited as the richest individuals in history, direct comparisons remain difficult due to vastly different economic systems and lack of standardized records. However, by modern wealth tracking standards, Musk’s fortune stands as the largest ever recorded.
Key Takeaways
Musk’s wealth is driven primarily by SpaceX, Tesla, and xAI, with SpaceX now valued at over $1 trillion post-merger.
His net worth in early 2026 stands at approximately $850+ billion, making him the wealthiest person tracked by modern financial indices.
Musk’s career reflects a rare blend of serial entrepreneurship, technological ambition, and dominance in high-impact innovation sectors — space, artificial intelligence, electric vehicles, and neurotechnology.
