Due to the collapse of Tesla shares, the head of the company Elon Musk lost $22 billion in a day. However, he still tops the list of the richest people in the world according to Bloomberg with a fortune of $358 billion.
The state of the head of Tesla Elon Musk in one day decreased immediately by $22.2 billion, Bloomberg reported. The reason was the collapse of quotations of the manufacturer of electric cars Tesla, which accounts for more than half of its fortune, the publication reported. At the auction on Tuesday, February 25, Tesla securities fell by 8.4% to $302.8, and the market capitalization fell below $1 trillion, which was a three-month low.
Despite the losses, Musk still ranks first among the richest people in the world with a fortune of $358 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. In terms of wealth, Musk is ahead of both Amazon founder Jeff Bezos with a fortune of $233 billion, and the head of Meta (the company's activities are recognized as extremist and banned in Russia) Mark Zuckerberg, whose capital is estimated at $232 billion.
Shares of the automaker Tesla fell in trading on Tuesday after reports that sales of electric cars in Europe in January fell by almost half. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association reported that Tesla's sales in Europe collapsed by 45%, while total sales of electric vehicles in Europe increased by 37%. In January 2025, Tesla sold only 9,945 vehicles in Europe, compared to 18,161 in the same month in 2024.
Elon Musk's popularity in Europe has noticeably declined due to his interference in domestic politics, writes Bloomberg. In mid-January, YouGov conducted surveys in Germany and the United Kingdom, which showed that Musk is frowned upon in these countries and that his interference in politics is undesirable. In January, Musk accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of trying to undermine the US presidential election, and in early February claimed that the far-right German Alternative for Germany (AfD) party is the country's "only hope".
Some investors are also concerned that Musk's actions to drastically reduce the number of federal employees in the United States at the direction of President Donald Trump potentially divert his attention from Tesla, as well as harm the attractiveness of the company's brand for some consumers, writes Reuters.
Since the beginning of 2025, Tesla shares have fallen 27%, while the NASDAQ Composite Index (IXIC) is down 2.4%. However, Tesla remains the world's most expensive car manufacturer. The company's market value, which totaled $973.96 billion in trading on Tuesday, is more than twice the combined value of automakers General Motors, Ford Motor, Volkswagen, Toyota Motor, Hyundai Motor and BMW, according to Reuters estimates.
In January 2021, Elon Musk became the richest man in history, overtaking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The agency then estimated Musk's net worth at $194.8 billion. Earlier, Bloomberg noted that the growth of Musk's wealth continued after the victory of Donald Trump in the US presidential election. Musk was one of the few big businessmen to publicly endorse the Republican nominee.
In December 2024, Elon Musk became the first person in history with a fortune of $400 billion. Shares of Tesla rose to a historic high of $488.54 on December 18 amid expectations of an improvement in the company's position due to Musk's proximity to Trump, who appointed the entrepreneur head of the Department of Public Administration Efficiency (DOGE). The businessman has already launched changes in key government departments, including breaking contracts and suspending tens of thousands of employees. In the first month of DOGE's operation, more than 10 thousand people were laid off.
