In a dramatic turn of events on September 10, 2025, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison briefly surpassed Tesla CEO Elon Musk to become the world’s richest person. This shift was driven by a significant surge in Oracle’s stock price, which jumped over 40% following the company’s quarterly results that exceeded expectations. At the peak, Ellison’s net worth reached approximately $393 billion, narrowly surpassing Musk’s $384 billion.

The surge in Oracle’s stock was fueled by increased demand for cloud services from artificial intelligence companies, including major players like OpenAI. Oracle’s infrastructure revenue is projected to rise substantially over the next five years, driven by multibillion-dollar contracts and a new $30 billion annual cloud deal.
Despite briefly losing the top spot, Musk remains a dominant figure in the tech industry. His wealth is primarily tied to Tesla and SpaceX, companies that continue to shape the future of electric vehicles and space exploration. Musk’s net worth has fluctuated over the years, but he has consistently remained among the world’s wealthiest individuals.
This brief change in rankings highlights the volatility of billionaire net worths, influenced by market dynamics and the performance of their respective companies. As of now, Elon Musk has reclaimed his position as the world’s richest person, but the competition between these tech titans remains intense.