Mark Zuckerberg Takes Over Elon Musk as World’s Third-Richest Person in the Face of Tesla’s Declining Shares

Mark Zuckerberg has surpassed Elon Musk as the world’s third-richest person, with a fortune of $175 billion. This shift in wealth has been driven by Meta Platforms stock soaring while Tesla shares have plunged. As of Wednesday, Zuckerberg’s net worth slightly exceeded Musk’s by $1 billion, with a gap that is expected to widen further as Tesla’s shares continue to decline.

Zuckerberg’s wealth has increased by $47.3 billion year-to-date, while Musk has seen a decline of $55.2 billion. This decline has moved Musk from the position of the world’s richest person to the fourth world’s richest person. Despite their past conflicts, Musk and Zuckerberg have not followed through on their agreement to fight in a cage match last year. However, their ongoing competition in the business world remains apparent as their fortunes continue to fluctuate.

The performance of their respective stocks has been the primary driver of the shift in fortunes for Musk and Zuckerberg. Meta Platforms stock has surged 43% year-to-date, while Tesla shares are down nearly 40%. Zuckerberg’s wealth is heavily concentrated in Meta Platforms stock, as he owns about 13% of the company. In contrast, Musk’s fortune is supported by multiple business ventures including Tesla, SpaceX, and X.

Musk’s fortune remains ahead of Bill Gates, while Zuckerberg trails behind Jeff Bezos and Bernard Arnault in terms of wealth. As Tesla’s shares continue to decline and Meta Platforms stock continues to surge, it is likely that this gap will widen further in the future. Despite their different approaches to business and personal life, both Musk and Zuckerberg have proven themselves as successful entrepreneurs who have transformed industries and created significant value for investors and consumers alike