Elon Musk becomes first person worth $500 billion

New Delhi, Oct 2: Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has become the first individual in history to amass a net worth exceeding $500 billion, or half a trillion US dollars, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaire index, reports international media.

Musk’s fortune briefly touched $500.1 billion on Wednesday before easing slightly to just above $499 billion later in the day.

The surge reflects rising valuations of Tesla and his other companies, including rocket firm SpaceX and artificial intelligence startup xAI.

The media reported that the milestone keeps Musk firmly ahead of global tech rivals, cementing his position as the world’s richest person.