Elon Musk, the South Africa-born billionaire and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X, has had a rough start to 2025.
His net worth has taken a massive hit, particularly over the past few weeks, leaving many observers shocked by the scale of his financial decline.
A Stunning Loss of $143 Billion
According to the latest figures from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Musk has lost an astounding $143 billion so far in 2025 alone.
To put this into perspective, that’s more than the total wealth of all but six other individuals on the planet.
With just 99 days into the year as of April 9, that equates to a staggering loss of about $1.44 billion per day, or R28.5 billion per day at the current exchange rate.
The Impact of Trade Tariffs
Much of Musk’s financial turmoil can be attributed to ongoing issues with trade tariffs
. Recent reports have highlighted a rift between Musk and U.S. President Donald Trump over the implementation of tariffs, particularly on goods from China, Taiwan, and Japan—regions where Tesla sources many of its critical components.
Since the tariffs were imposed, Tesla has seen a decline in sales, likely as a result of backlash against Musk’s close association with Trump.
In a recent public exchange, Musk expressed his disagreement with Trump’s stance on tariffs, particularly the 20% tariff on European goods.
Musk has been vocal about his desire for a “zero-tariff situation” between Europe and the United States, hoping to foster closer ties between the two regions.
Trump’s Unyielding Stance
Despite Musk’s attempts at diplomacy, Trump has shown no signs of backing down.
The President has made it clear that he intends to continue imposing tariffs on countries, especially in Europe and China, claiming that these nations have taken unfair advantage of the U.S. economy.
In an interview, Trump argued that sometimes tough measures are necessary to fix long-standing economic imbalances.
This rift between Musk and Trump became even more heated when Musk publicly criticized Trump’s senior trade advisor, Peter Navarro, calling him “truly a moron” and “dumber than a sack of bricks.”
Navarro had previously criticized Musk, saying that the Tesla CEO is not a “car manufacturer” but merely a “car assembler” relying on imported parts.
Musk’s Wealth Still Towering, but for How Long?
Despite these setbacks, Musk still holds the top spot on the world’s richest list with a net worth of $290 billion, well ahead of second-place Jeff Bezos, who has a net worth of $192 billion.
However, the gap between Musk and the other top billionaires is shrinking quickly.
Musk’s financial situation could continue to be a talking point as the year progresses, with many eyes on how his wealth and business empire will fare amidst these controversies.
As of April 9, 2025, the top 10 wealthiest individuals in the world are as follows:
- Elon Musk: $290 billion
- Jeff Bezos: $192 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg: $181 billion
- Warren Buffet: $154 billion
- Bernard Arnault: $154 billion
- Bill Gates: $147 billion
- Larry Ellison: $144 billion
- Larry Page: $131 billion
- Steve Ballmer: $125 billion
- Sergey Brin: $124 billion
The End of the Musk-Trump ‘Bromance’?
Given the growing tensions between Musk and Trump, many are wondering whether their once-close relationship will continue.
What was once seen as a powerful alliance between two of the most influential figures in the tech world now seems to be facing significant challenges.
Only time will tell how this will play out for both men and their respective businesses.