Elon Musk has added $24 billion to his personal fortune in just two trading days at the start of 2026, pushing his net worth to approximately $644 billion according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This surge marks the largest gain among the world’s wealthiest individuals so far this year, far outpacing other top billionaires. Musk, who remains the richest person on the planet—more than double the net worth of second-place Larry Page—saw his wealth increase by about 4% in a matter of days. Last year, he was the top wealth gainer globally, amassing $187 billion, and he is on track to lead the list again in 2026. However, the reason behind this sudden jump is not immediately clear. Tesla’s stock has risen only 0.4% so far this year, which would add less than $2 billion to Musk’s wealth even if his long-debated stock options are included. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s valuation, which hit $800 billion in December, already contributed significantly to his net worth in 2025 and has not seen a new public update in 2026. There have also been no recent public announcements about increased valuations for Musk’s other ventures—xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company—suggesting that the jump in his net worth may stem from a recalibration in how Bloomberg calculates his wealth rather than new market developments. Still, the change is substantial enough to be meaningful for even the world’s most extreme wealth holders, though it’s a minor blip in the context of Musk’s overall fortune. The surge highlights how the valuations of tech billionaires are often driven by market sentiment, speculative growth, and shifts in data models—especially in the current AI-driven market environment. Other major tech leaders have also seen gains. Alphabet co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have each added over $2 billion this year as Alphabet shares rose about 1%. Last year, they gained $101 billion and $92 billion respectively, placing them among the top performers—though still far behind Musk. The AI boom continues to fuel wealth growth across the tech sector, with investors betting heavily on companies poised to lead in artificial intelligence. For Musk, whose companies are deeply embedded in AI, space, and energy innovation, the market’s confidence in his vision remains a powerful driver of his staggering net worth.