Elon Musk’s Net Worth Jumps to $852 Billion as SpaceX Absorbs xAI in $1.25 Trillion Merger

SpaceX–xAI Deal Reshapes Musk’s Wealth, Crypto Hiring, Market Reactions, and Regulatory Tensions

TL;DR

• Elon Musk’s net worth surged to $852 billion after SpaceX absorbed xAI, creating a combined entity valued at $1.25 trillion.
• xAI launched a crypto-focused hiring push while Dogecoin rose 1.7% despite broader crypto weakness.
• French political warnings and tech-sector backlash added geopolitical pressure around Musk-linked platforms.

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Elon Musk’s net worth climbed to an estimated $852 billion after SpaceX announced the absorption of his artificial intelligence firm xAI, marking the first time an individual has exceeded the $800 billion threshold, according to Forbes estimates. The transaction added about $84 billion to Musk’s personal fortune and followed a Monday evening disclosure that the combined SpaceX–xAI entity would carry an estimated valuation of $1.25 trillion. The increase placed Musk hundreds of billions of dollars ahead of other global billionaires and reset the top of global wealth rankings.

SpaceX accounts for roughly $1 trillion of the combined valuation, while xAI contributes about $250 billion following recent private funding rounds. Musk is estimated to own around 43% of the merged company, valuing his stake at approximately $542 billion. Prior to the merger, Musk held close to 42% of SpaceX, and a December tender offer valued the rocket company at $800 billion, implying a stake worth about $336 billion at that time. His separate 49% holding in xAI had been valued at roughly $122 billion.

Beyond the merged entity, Musk maintains exposure to Tesla through an ownership stake of about 12%, valued at $178 billion, alongside Tesla stock options estimated at $124 billion. Private-company valuations now represent the dominant share of his wealth as SpaceX’s revised valuation narrowed the gap with Tesla’s public market capitalization of roughly $1.58 trillion. Forbes estimates show SpaceX has become Musk’s most valuable asset, overtaking Tesla as the largest contributor to his personal balance sheet.

SpaceX generated approximately $15 billion in revenue last year, with historical profitability cited at about $8 billion in 2019, according to Reuters. Its operations include orbital launch services for government clients such as NASA and the U.S. Department of Defense, as well as the Starlink satellite internet network, which operates more than 9,000 satellites and serves an estimated 9 million customers worldwide. The scale of the infrastructure underpinned investor estimates used in the merger valuation.

Parallel to the merger, xAI opened a role for a crypto quantitative expert as part of operational expansion. The job listing seeks specialists to generate annotated training data to teach AI models digital asset market mechanics, including derivatives trading, onchain analytics, DeFi protocol analysis, MEV-aware execution, and cross-exchange arbitrage. Responsibilities include producing step-by-step reasoning data across text, voice, and video formats under a work-for-hire structure, with intellectual property owned by xAI.

The hiring effort followed confirmation that the SpaceX–xAI combination was completed on February 2, 2026. Musk described the merged firm in a blog post as “the most ambitious, vertically-integrated innovation engine on (and off) Earth, with AI, rockets, space-based internet.” The recruitment move coincided with increased attention from crypto market participants tracking crypto price index movements, crypto price volatility, and shifts in coin market cap metrics linked to Musk-associated assets.

Crypto markets showed mixed reactions during the same period. Bitcoin dipped toward $73,000 before rebounding above $76,000 as broader sentiment remained fragile. Dogecoin moved in the opposite direction, posting a 1.7% gain over 24 hours following comments from Musk about putting a Dogecoin on the moon, even as weekly and monthly performance remained negative. The divergence occurred amid subdued activity across major assets and ongoing pressure visible across crypto price and coin market cap data.

Political tensions in Europe added another layer of scrutiny. A French politician warned on February 4, 2026, that Musk could be arrested if he travels to Paris, citing disputes between French authorities and Musk-owned platform X. The warning stated Musk would be jailed if he “makes the mistake of coming to France” after law-enforcement requests. Prosecutors have requested Musk and former CEO Linda Yaccarino to participate in "voluntary interviews" set for April 20. The episode escalated after Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticized France following police actions targeting social media platforms, calling the country “not a free country.”

Musk’s ascent past $800 billion marked the fourth major wealth milestone achieved in recent months. He crossed $500 billion in October, $600 billion in mid-December after private investors valued SpaceX at $800 billion, and surpassed $700 billion days later following court developments related to Tesla stock options. The latest merger pushed his estimated wealth about $578 billion ahead of Google cofounder Larry Page, whose net worth stands at around $281 billion, according to Forbes.

Market participants have also pointed to speculation that SpaceX is preparing for an initial public offering, a step that would expose its valuation to open-market pricing and regulatory review. No formal filing has been announced, and the company has not provided a timeline.

This article has been refined and enhanced by ChatGPT.