In a dramatic turn of market events, three of the world’s most influential business magnates Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, and Gautam Adani suffered a staggering combined loss of $19.8 billion in personal wealth within a single trading session, according to real-time data from Bloomberg Billionaires Index and Forbes.
The wipeout, recorded on Thursday, July 25, reflects growing volatility across global tech and energy markets, with Tesla’s poor earnings report, Indian market pressure, and shifting investor sentiment triggering the domino effect.
Elon Musk Tops the Losses with $15.3 Billion Dip
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and founder of AI startup xAI, saw his net worth shrink by $15.3 billion the most among the trio. This brings his total fortune to $399.5 billion, still keeping him atop the global rich list, but marking a sharp 3.7% drop in 24 hours.
The nosedive came after Tesla’s stock fell by 8% on Thursday following an underwhelming Q2 earnings report and guidance that fell short of Wall Street expectations. Investor concerns about slowing EV sales, thinner margins, and heavy spending on AI and robotics initiatives triggered a sell-off.
According to CNBC, analysts remain skeptical about Tesla’s near-term growth potential, with Bank of America noting that “the hype around robotaxis has not translated to strong financials yet.”
Musk, 54, still holds around 12% of Tesla, half of which is pledged as collateral for loans reportedly worth up to $3.5 billion, according to Bloomberg. His other assets SpaceX (valued at $350 billion) and xAI (estimated at $50 billion) remain privately held but largely illiquid.
His investment in X (formerly Twitter) continues to weigh heavily. Since acquiring the social platform for $44 billion in 2022, its value has plummeted by over 70%, as reported by Forbes, driven by advertiser pullback, shrinking user base, and internal leadership chaos.
Ambani and Adani Also Hit by Market Headwinds
India’s wealthiest men, Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani, were not spared.
Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, lost $2.3 billion, lowering his net worth to $105.3 billion. The decline followed a minor pullback in Reliance’s stock, which had recently rallied on the back of renewed retail and telecom optimism.
Reliance, a $120 billion conglomerate with tentacles in oil, gas, telecom (via Jio), retail, and now green energy, has embarked on an ambitious $80 billion renewable energy investment plan. Ambani’s diversification strategy continues, with his three children—Akash, Isha, and Anant—now board members managing different verticals of the empire.
Meanwhile, Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, shed $2.2 billion, bringing his net worth to $64.9 billion. Shares of Adani Enterprises and Adani Green dipped marginally after recent investor profit-taking and cautious market sentiment.
Adani, who once held the second-richest title globally in early 2023, is still recovering from the fallout of a damaging Hindenburg Research report, which accused the group of stock manipulation and financial misreporting. Although India’s Supreme Court cleared Adani of wrongdoing earlier this year, some institutional investors remain wary, according to Reuters.
Why This Matters
These massive single-day wealth swings reflect broader concerns across global financial markets, particularly for companies led by highly visible, charismatic founders with bold visions but volatile earnings.
“High concentration of wealth in equities especially in their own companies makes billionaires more susceptible to sharp market moves,” noted Kevin Dugan, a financial analyst at Morningstar.
Moreover, the losses though substantial barely dent the long-term influence or liquidity power of these billionaires. Musk’s net worth alone has grown by over $70 billion in 2025 alone, prior to the dip, largely fueled by AI and space innovation enthusiasm.
Final Thoughts
The decline may be temporary, but it’s a sharp reminder that in today’s interconnected financial world, even the richest are not immune to market forces. Whether it’s investor sentiment, regulatory shifts, or macroeconomic turbulence, wealth no matter how massive can evaporate in an instant.
As markets digest the implications of tech slowdowns and geopolitical uncertainty, all eyes remain on these global titans and how they reposition for future gains.
