Elon Musk’s Pursuit of Trillionaire Status
While deciding whether to spend $5 on a single squash at a farmers’ market, I checked my phone to learn more about squash, as I often do when faced with uncertainty. Just then, a news alert announced that Elon Musk might soon become the world's first trillionaire.
Understanding a Trillion
Curious, I asked aloud, “How much is a trillion?” My boyfriend, a mathematician, replied it was “a billion billions,” which is incorrect. The true value of a trillion is a million millions—twelve zeroes—a number difficult to truly grasp.
Comparing Musk’s Potential Wealth
If Musk reaches $1 trillion (US), his fortune would be comparable to the GDP of certain European countries. Specifically, it would fall between the Netherlands’ $1.2 trillion and Switzerland’s $936 billion, making him as wealthy as the twentieth largest economy globally.
The Scale of $1 Trillion
Consider the International Space Station (ISS), the most expensive structure ever built, co-funded by fourteen countries including the United States, Canada, Russia, and Japan. The ISS cost about $150 billion (US).
“With $1 trillion, Musk could independently build six international space stations and still have $100 billion left.”
Reality vs. Perception
However, the situation is more complex than simply Tesla writing Musk a check for a trillion dollars. Musk’s wealth is not liquid cash but tied up in assets and investments.
“If Musk has $1 trillion, his wealth would be equivalent to the world's twentieth largest economy.”
Author's Summary
Elon Musk’s ambition to become a trillionaire places him in an unprecedented financial position, rivaling entire national economies.