The billionaire leaderboard just got a shake-up. For the first time, Larry Ellison surpasses Elon Musk to claim the title of the world’s richest person. After decades of being known as the bold co-founder of Oracle, Ellison’s fortune skyrocketed this week to an eye-watering $393 billion, edging past Musk’s $385 billion. The milestone wasn’t just about Ellison himself it highlighted how powerful technology shifts, particularly in artificial intelligence and cloud services, are reshaping fortunes overnight.
Oracle’s Surge: The Catalyst Behind Ellison’s Wealth
Ellison’s wealth surge is tied directly to Oracle Corp., the database and cloud computing giant he co-founded in 1977.
- Oracle shares jumped 41% in a single day, the largest one-day surge in the company’s history.
- This spike added $101 billion to Ellison’s net worth almost instantly.
- Oracle now sits on a $450 billion cloud services backlog, boosted by partnerships with Nvidia and OpenAI.
According to Bloomberg, this marks the biggest one-day increase ever recorded in the Billionaires Index.
How Ellison Edged Out Musk
So, why did Larry Ellison surge ahead while Elon Musk slipped behind?
- Oracle Boom: Oracle’s growth in AI-driven cloud services gave investors confidence, pushing shares to near $1 trillion in market value.
- Tesla Struggles: Tesla shares are down about 13% in 2025, dragging Musk’s wealth lower.
- Diversification Advantage: Unlike Musk, whose wealth depends heavily on Tesla, Ellison’s fortune is anchored in Oracle and expanding ventures.
“Over the next few months, we expect to sign-up several additional multi-billion-dollar customers,” Oracle stated in its earnings outlook suggesting this rally may only be the beginning.
A Look at the World’s Top Billionaires (as of September 2025)
| Rank | Name | Net Worth (approx.) | Main Source of Wealth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Larry Ellison | $393B | Oracle / Tech / Cloud |
| 2 | Elon Musk | $385B | Tesla / SpaceX |
| 3 | Mark Zuckerberg | $220B+ | Meta (Facebook) |
| 4 | Jeff Bezos | $215B+ | Amazon |
| 5 | Larry Page | $190B+ | Google / Alphabet |
(Source: Bloomberg Billionaires Index)
Beyond Business: The Ellison Family Empire
Ellison’s wealth story isn’t just about Oracle. His family is extending influence across industries:
- Media: His son David Ellison recently acquired Paramount Global in an $8 billion deal.
- Politics & Tech: Ellison has been an influential backer in U.S. politics and recently met with global tech leaders including SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to discuss a $500 billion datacenter project.
- AI & Cloud: Oracle technology is expected to power some of the largest AI infrastructure projects globally.
At 81, Ellison is proving that fortunes in tech aren’t just about youthful disruption they’re also about longevity and foresight.
What It Means for the Billionaire Race
Ellison dethroning Musk highlights a bigger truth: wealth is increasingly tied to AI and cloud computing. Musk’s Tesla may one day make him the world’s first trillionaire if his pay package is approved, but for now, Ellison wears the crown.
And in the ever-changing game of billionaire musical chairs, today’s No. 1 could easily slip to No. 2 tomorrow.
Larry Ellison’s rise to the top of the billionaire rankings is as much about Oracle’s resurgence as it is about the tech industry’s pivot to AI. While Elon Musk may not be out of the race for long, Ellison’s moment in the spotlight is a reminder of how quickly fortunes can shift.