SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk has set an unprecedented financial anti-record, becoming the first person in history whose personal fortune has shrunk by more than $650 billion in one month. According to current Forbes estimates as of mid-July 2026, the businessman's capital has fallen to $792.8 billion. Despite the colossal losses, Musk retains his status as the richest person on the planet.
Chronicle of a trillion-dollar rise and fall
Elon Musk's historic capital surge occurred in June 2026 thanks to the historic IPO of the aerospace corporation SpaceX.
- June 12, 2026: SpaceX shares (ticker SPCX) debuted on the stock exchange at $135 per share.
- June 16, 2026: Amidst frenzied demand, quotes soared to a historic peak of $225.64.
- Peak Valuation: On this day, SpaceX's market capitalization approached $3 trillion, and Musk's personal fortune (owning about 42% of the company's shares) reached an absolute record of $1.45 trillion.
However, the triumph was short-lived. A large-scale correction in the US technology sector and investors' reassessment of the company's future fundamental indicators quickly brought the quotes back “to earth”. By mid-July, SpaceX's market capitalization had fallen by approximately $1 trillion from its peak values.
Cancellation of Starship launch as a trigger for a new fall
The main factor for the new wave of sell-offs in mid-July was the aerospace corporation's technical difficulties. The next (13th in a row) test flight of the giant rocket system Starship was urgently canceled directly before launch due to an engine ignition failure.
This news triggered a prolonged stock decline, and on Friday, SPCX quotes updated their historic low, falling to $123.99 per share — this is significantly below the initial placement price of $135. In just one day, the Starship launch failure reduced Musk's paper capital by more than $45 billion.
Economic context and market reaction
Wall Street analysts note that the current decline is due to a shift in investor focus. After the IPO "honeymoon" ended, the market began to assess financial realities more harshly: huge capital expenditures for the deployment of orbital AI data centers, the development of the Starlink network, and the Starship program. The situation was exacerbated by a general decline in the NASDAQ index and semiconductor sector stocks.
Additional pressure on the billionaire's capital is exerted by the volatility of Tesla automaker shares, which is preparing to present its quarterly report on July 22 amid prolonged investor disputes over the prospects of the autonomous robotaxi project.
Experts remind that Musk's current losses remain predominantly "on paper". Since his fortune is directly tied to the stocks of public companies, any strong technological rebound or successful Starship restart next week could return his capital to growth.
