Elon Musk to Be World’s First Trillionaire? Tesla Salary Package Explained
Tesla has approved a $1 trillion compensation package for its CEO, Elon Musk, who also happens to be the world’s richest man.
At the company’s annual meeting on Thursday (November 6), about 75% of Tesla shareholders voted in favor of the record-breaking deal. But there’s a catch — Musk won’t receive the money outright.
Big Pay, Bigger Targets
To unlock the full value of the $1 trillion package over the next decade, Musk must meet a series of performance targets.
First, he needs to remain Tesla’s CEO for at least seven and a half years to begin vesting any shares from the new pay plan. The deal still allows him to continue leading his other ventures, including SpaceX and xAI.
The agreement could give Musk up to 12% of Tesla’s shares, but only if the company’s market capitalization reaches $8.5 trillion. Musk is already Tesla’s largest shareholder.
To secure the full payout, he must also achieve 12 operational milestones — among them:
- Deliver 20 million Tesla vehicles,
- Reach 10 million active Full Self-Driving (FSD) subscriptions,
- Produce 1 million humanoid robots,
- Deploy 1 million robotaxis in commercial use, and
- Meet eight separate profitability goals.
Additionally, the deal requires Musk to create a framework for Tesla’s CEO succession, although no specific timeline has been set for his eventual exit.
Could Musk Become the World’s First Trillionaire?
The approval marks the largest CEO pay package in corporate history, potentially making Musk the world’s first trillionaire.
If he achieves all targets, Musk could earn over $500 billion, adding to his current net worth of $461 billion, according to reports.
Musk currently takes no salary as his compensation is entirely tied to Tesla’s stock performance.
A Tumultuous Year for Musk
The year 2025 has been particularly eventful for Musk. He briefly served in President Trump’s administration, heading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But his partnership with Trump soured over disagreements on the so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Tesla’s shares also suffered amid protests and a decline in revenue early in the year, partly due to Musk’s political involvement.
In response, Musk has shifted his focus toward robotics and AI, betting big on household servant robots and self-driving robotaxis to reignite Tesla’s growth.
However, reports suggest that neither product is ready for market — the robots remain unavailable for purchase, and the robotaxis still require human drivers for safety compliance.
Following the shareholder vote, Musk thanked investors, saying: “I’d like to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported the shareholder votes. I really appreciate it.”
