It’s been an unpredictable year for Elon Musk.
The year began with the billionaire entrepreneur sparking controversy after posting something that was seen by some as a Nazi salute. From there, it didn’t get much smoother. Throughout the spring, activists regularly gathered outside Tesla showrooms to protest Musk’s increasing involvement in U.S. politics, as well as his close relationship with President Trump. Critics argued that his so-called “Department of Government Efficiency”—a nod to a decade-old meme—didn’t do much beyond cutting foreign aid, and they cheered as Tesla failed to meet Wall Street’s financial expectations.
In May, Musk took to social media, firing off a series of vicious posts aimed at the world’s most powerful man, causing a rift between them. Tesla, meanwhile, continued to lose money, and even the cryptocurrency Dogecoin, which Musk had helped popularize, was affected by infighting within Washington. By the end of the year, it was reported that Dogecoin had become decentralized, losing much of the influence Musk once had over it.
Yet, despite all the challenges, Musk seems to be finishing 2025 in a surprisingly strong position. While he may no longer hold the title of “king of the world,” he still wields an extraordinary amount of power.
The numbers tell an interesting story. Even though Tesla faced a rocky year, Musk’s fortune has actually grown. His wealth is now estimated at around $462 billion, with Tesla representing less than half of that at $140 billion. This suggests that Musk’s private ventures—like SpaceX, xAI, and Neuralink—have helped protect him from some of the turbulence in the public market, which has affected Tesla.
SpaceX has also had an impressive year, even if its financials aren’t publicly available. The company has remained busy, particularly with its satellite internet service, Starlink. This shift has made SpaceX seem more like an internet service provider with a side interest in rockets, rather than the other way around. As of November, Starlink reported connecting over 8 million customers, with ambitious plans for further expansion. In fact, SpaceX launched its 10,000th Starlink satellite in October, continuing to make record-breaking use of its Falcon 9 rockets.
This growth in Starlink’s revenue could support Musk’s longer-term goals, including the development of SpaceX’s heavier Starship rockets, which are designed to carry larger payloads into space. This technology is crucial for the company’s future, including its role in NASA’s upcoming moon mission, slated for as early as 2028.
SpaceX has also secured lucrative government contracts, including a $5.9 billion deal with the U.S. Space Force. These contracts give Musk’s company a financial cushion as it continues to invest heavily in ambitious projects, although they do come with risks. SpaceX still faces significant challenges, including regulatory hurdles, the need for technological breakthroughs, and growing competition from companies like Amazon’s Project Kuiper.
On the other hand, Tesla’s year has been far from stellar. The U.S. electric vehicle market took a hit this year as the Trump administration reduced tax incentives and shifted policies that have negatively impacted Tesla’s bottom line. The company also struggled with supply chain issues, including attempts to remove Chinese components from its cars, which have complicated its pricing strategies.
Furthermore, Tesla’s vehicle sales have slowed, especially in Europe, where political polarization and increasing competition from Chinese EV makers have hurt the company’s appeal. Even in China, Tesla saw an 8% drop in sales in 2025.
Tesla’s vehicle lineup and product strategy also appear tired. The Model Y remains popular, but the recent refresh didn’t generate the sales boost Musk had hoped for. The much-hyped Cybertruck, which Musk once predicted would sell in the hundreds of thousands annually, has fallen far short of expectations, with only about 16,000 units sold as of this fall.
In an attempt to shift focus, Musk has pointed to Tesla’s efforts in robotics and autonomous vehicles. However, progress on these fronts has been slower than expected. For instance, while Musk claimed that half of the U.S. population would have access to robotaxi services by the end of 2025, Tesla’s actual fleet of self-driving taxis is still only around 60 vehicles in one city, Austin, Texas.
Despite these setbacks, Musk’s political involvement and controversial posts on social media haven’t completely derailed his business empire. In fact, they may have helped further entrench him as a polarizing figure on the global right wing, especially through his ownership of X (formerly Twitter), a platform that became the center of political and social discourse for conservative circles in 2025.
But the year hasn’t been all about controversies. A major highlight came in the fall when Tesla shareholders agreed to a historic deal to pay Musk up to $1 trillion over the next decade, provided he meets certain performance goals. To earn the full amount, Musk will need to lead Tesla to an $8.5 trillion market cap and ensure the company leads the world in autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots. While these goals may seem far off, Musk will still earn billions even if he falls short, depending on how close he gets.
As for Musk’s political journey, its long-term impact is still unclear. His ongoing involvement in politics, particularly with the Trump administration, has led to some critics questioning whether his brand will ever fully recover. However, Musk’s ability to stay relevant, even as a highly controversial figure, shows his unique power in shaping both the tech world and political discourse.
In November, Musk made headlines again when he was seen at a White House state dinner for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, a reminder that, for all the ups and downs, it’s hard to keep the world’s richest man down for long.
