Elon Musk‘s fortune has taken a massive hit in 2025, losing over $60 billion, with his net worth shrinking amid Tesla Inc.’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) struggles, while Bill Gates, the second billionaire to see a similar decline, has committed to giving away his entire fortune.
Musk's Wealth Decline Amid Tesla Struggles
In 2025, Musk’s net worth plunged by $61.2 billion, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire Index.
It dropped from $432 billion at the end of 2024 to $371 billion now, marking one of the most significant losses among the world’s wealthiest individuals, according to Fortune.
Much of Musk's fortune is tied to Tesla, whose stock has fallen 13.08% year-to-date, reflecting declining sales in key markets like Europe and China.
Despite offering discounts to boost sales, Tesla posted second-quarter revenue of $22.5 billion, marking a 12% decline from the same period last year and falling short of the Street consensus estimate of $22.8 billion. Automotive revenue came in at $16.66 billion, down 16% year-over-year.
Adding to Tesla's troubles are political protests against Musk's relationship with President Donald Trump, which led to widespread vandalism targeting Tesla vehicles, further eroding the company's brand value.
Bill Gates' Loss Linked To Philanthropy
While Musk's losses are attributed to business challenges, Gates’ significant drop in net worth has been due to his philanthropic efforts.
Gates' fortune dropped by $35.7 billion this year, reaching $123 billion. However, this loss reflects a recalculation that accounts for his commitment to donate most of his wealth to the Gates Foundation.
In an announcement earlier this year, Gates confirmed that he would give away approximately $100 billion to support global causes, with the foundation planning to spend this amount over the next 20 years before closing its doors.
Billionaires Like Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerberg Making Waves
Several other billionaires have watched their wealth swell amid an AI-fueled market surge. Oracle Corp's (NYSE:ORCL) Larry Ellison has climbed from $192 billion at the close of last year to $302 billion today.
Meta Platforms, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:META) Mark Zuckerberg has also seen a jump, rising from $207 billion at the end of 2024 to $270 billion currently.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos has experienced a modest gain, from $239 billion at the end of 2024 to $244 billion now.
Former Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer has added $32.4 billion to his fortune in 2025, and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) co-founder Larry Page's wealth has edged up $11.6 billion this year.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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