Elon Musk is now the world’s richest person, with a net worth of $722 billion, according to Forbes. His fortune is more than double that of Alphabet cofounder Larry Page.
Most of Musk’s wealth comes from Tesla and SpaceX stock, meaning it isn’t cash in hand. Still, if it were, the numbers are staggering. Experts say Musk could theoretically buy whole industries, states, or even elite institutions.
1. Entire States or Regions
Musk could purchase every home in San Diego County, or even all 572,781 homes in Hawaii. His wealth could also cover all residential properties in Maryland, suburbs and coastlines included.
2. Every New Car Sold in the U.S.
In 2025, Americans bought tens of millions of new vehicles. Musk could buy every single one of them, though the investment would quickly lose value as cars depreciate.
3. Elite Universities
The combined endowments of all Ivy League schools—Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Penn—total roughly $200 billion. Musk could buy them three times over and still have money left.
4. Almost Switzerland
While a country can’t be bought, Musk’s net worth comes close to matching Switzerland’s annual GDP of about $900 billion. This shows the sheer scale of his wealth.
5. Big Oil
Musk could theoretically acquire ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips—the largest U.S. oil companies. This would be ironic given his focus on electric vehicles.
6. All Major U.S. Sports Leagues
The total value of MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL teams is about $434 billion. Musk could buy all four leagues and still have roughly $280 billion left, enough to fund Ivy League schools.
Musk has now passed every major wealth milestone, reaching unprecedented levels in modern history. While he probably won’t buy entire states or industries, his fortune shows how one person’s wealth can rival countries and major institutions, highlighting a new era of economic scale.
