Elon Musk becomes the world's richest person for the sixth time in six years! With a net worth of $839 billion, setting a new record in human history

On March 5th, Hurun Research Institute released the “2026 Hurun Global Rich List,” with 54-year-old Elon Musk once again at the top of the world’s wealth rankings. This is his fifth time as the world’s richest person in six years, with a net worth of 5.5 trillion RMB, an 89% increase from last year, adding 2.6 trillion RMB.

Many may not have a clear concept of this wealth figure. Simply put, his personal fortune has already exceeded the total annual GDP of middle-sized countries like Vietnam. According to real-time data from Forbes, Musk’s net worth has surpassed $839 billion, making him the first person in history to enter the $800 billion club. Even more astonishing, he has $500 billion more than the second-richest billionaire, creating the largest gap ever on the global billionaire list.

Musk’s ability to earn so much money mainly relies on his two core companies—Tesla and SpaceX. Tesla needs no introduction; with the trend toward new energy vehicles, the advancement of autonomous driving technology, and expanded global manufacturing capacity, the company’s market value has soared, becoming the “ballast” of his wealth.

SpaceX has also garnered significant attention. As the Starship development progresses and Starlink expands globally, the company’s valuation has experienced explosive growth, and the market is very optimistic about it. Additionally, his AI company XAI has completed large-scale financing, further expanding his wealth portfolio, forming a multi-field profit pattern in new energy, aerospace, and artificial intelligence.

Speaking of which, Musk’s wealth growth rate is truly “rocket-like.” In October 2025, his net worth just broke through $500 billion. By December, it had consecutively surpassed $600 billion and $700 billion. By February 2026, he had directly entered the $800 billion club. In just over two months at the start of this year, his wealth increased by more than $100 billion, with an astonishing growth rate.

This Hurun list also reflects new changes in global wealth. For the first time, the number of entrepreneurs with a net worth over $1 billion has exceeded 4,000, reaching 4,020, an increase of 578 from last year, setting a new record. At the national level, China has 1,110 billion-dollar entrepreneurs, returning to the top spot globally, followed by the United States with 1,000.

In terms of rankings, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ranks second with 2.1 trillion RMB, with a 13% increase mainly driven by Amazon’s cloud computing business and space projects. Google parent company Alphabet’s Larry Page saw a 65% increase in wealth, entering the top three for the first time; Nvidia founder Jensen Huang, leveraging AI infrastructure, also entered the top ten for the first time.

Elon Musk has reached the top of the world’s wealth list five times in six years, ultimately because he chose the right tracks. His investments in new energy vehicles, commercial space, and artificial intelligence are all hot areas in global industry upgrades, aligning with the trends of the times. Industry insiders predict that SpaceX is expected to go public in the second half of 2026, which could further elevate Musk’s wealth and possibly make him the first billionaire in history to surpass one trillion dollars.

Today, Musk’s wealth story is not just a personal entrepreneurial legend but also a reflection of the global economy shifting toward technology-driven growth. His continued leadership will continue to influence the development of global technology and wealth.

(Article / Human Observer)