Elon Musk could be on the path to becoming the world’s first Trillion but only if he pulls off some jaw-dropping feats.
Tesla’s board on Friday revealed a massive new pay package for its CEO, a deal that ties Musk’s future fortune to extreme performance targets over the next decade. If he meets them all, his net worth could soar past $1 trillion, a figure bigger than the economies of most countries.
It wouldn’t be the first time Musk has struck gold with a risky bet. Back in 2012, Tesla offered him a performance-based pay deal that proved wildly successful. A few years later, in 2018, he was handed another “moonshot” package, which he fully earned as Tesla became the world’s most valuable automaker.
This time, Tesla is calling it a “Mars-shot.”
The package is split into 12 parts, each tied to a mix of operational milestones and market value goals. To claim the full payout, Musk would need to double or even multiply eight fold Tesla’s market capitalisation, more than double the company’s lifetime car sales, and roll out some of his most ambitious projects. That includes producing 1 million Optimums humanoid robots, launching 1 million self-driving robot axis, and scaling up operations at a pace no car company has ever achieved.
If he succeeds, Musk would be awarded Tesla shares equal to 12% of the company, worth about $1 trillion at the high end. Add that to his current holdings and options from the 2018 package, and his stake in Tesla could top $2 trillion. For now, Bloomberg estimates his fortune at $378 billion.
Not everyone is cheering. Investor Leo KoGuan, once a big Tesla backer, dismissed the new plan as Musk “simply awarding himself $1 trillion.” Critics also point to ongoing legal challenges: a Delaware judge recently struck down Musk’s 2018 award after a shareholder lawsuit, though Tesla is appealing the ruling.
Still, Tesla’s board insists Musk’s extraordinary ambitions require extraordinary incentives. Former director Antonio Gracious, who helped design earlier packages, compared the milestones to “dopamine hits” that kept Musk laser-focused on Tesla despite his many other ventures.
Whether this latest plan drives Musk to Mars-level achievements or ends in controversy, one thing is certain: it keeps the world’s richest man and his company firmly in the spotlight.
