The man who moves billions with a tweet: understand the real impact of Elon Musk in 2025

When Elon Musk posts something on X, markets move. From Tesla to cryptocurrencies, a single message can cause billions to shift in just a few hours. But who exactly is this figure who has become synonymous with technological disruption? Why do Brazilian investors need to follow every move he makes?

The answer is simple: Elon Musk is not just a billionaire. He is a catalyst for transformation, rewriting rules across five key sectors simultaneously. And in 2025, ignoring his influence means ignoring the biggest opportunities — and risks — in global markets.

The empire that started from scratch

Before revolutionizing the world, Elon Musk was an immigrant who left South Africa at age 17. Born in Pretoria in 1971, son of an electromechanical engineer and a nutritionist, he learned early to blend physics with business — the exact combination that would make him unique.

By age 12, he had sold his first program. At 28, he was a millionaire. By 35, he controlled companies valued in the tens of billions.

His first major success was Zip2 (1995), which digitized maps and directories for newspapers. Sold to Compaq for $307 million, it opened doors to the next step: X.com (1999), which evolved into PayPal — sold to eBay in 2002 for $1.5 billion. Musk left with $180 million from that deal. Capital he would use to create his true legacy.

The five pillars shaping the future

Tesla: the company that forced the automotive industry to wake up

Tesla is not just about cars. Under Musk’s leadership, it became a reference in electric mobility, advanced batteries, solar panels, and energy storage. Autopilot revolutionized assisted driving. Gigafactories set a new standard for automated manufacturing.

Why does it matter? Because Tesla directly influences the global automotive sector — impacting companies like BYD, Volkswagen, GM, and Stellantis, many with operations in Brazil. Every fluctuation in Tesla’s stock impacts entire supply chains.

SpaceX: privatizing space

Founded in 2002, SpaceX achieved what was once considered impossible: reducing launch costs by up to 90%. Today, it’s valued at over $200 billion, making it the most valuable private company in the US.

But SpaceX is not just reusable rockets. It’s also Starlink — satellite internet available in 70+ countries, including Brazil. A critical infrastructure that gained geopolitical importance during military conflicts and positions itself as a global connectivity alternative.

Neuralink, The Boring Company, and xAI: the triple future

Neuralink aims to develop brain-machine interfaces to help with motor disabilities — and eventually integrate AI into the human brain. The Boring Company solves congestion with tunnels. xAI (2023) competes directly with Google, OpenAI, and Meta in the artificial intelligence market, gaining explosive traction with the chatbot Grok.

Each of these is a trillion-dollar potential market. Together, they demonstrate Musk’s strategy: not to dominate one sector — but to dominate multiple simultaneously.

How much does it cost to dream like this?

Elon Musk’s fortune in 2025 exceeds US$ 350 billion. Yes, billions with a B. It’s distributed among Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, xAI, The Boring Company, and Starlink.

A curious fact: his wealth is so tied to Tesla that every 5% drop in its stock costs him about US$ 17 billion. Conversely, his gains can be equally explosive. It’s volatile wealth, but impressive.

Why Musk matters to your portfolio

1. Mobility and energy

Tesla dominates the narrative of the global energy transition. Investors who understand Musk understand where capital is flowing in batteries, lithium, and renewable energy.

2. Artificial Intelligence

xAI competes with tech giants. The AI race is this century’s race — and Musk is not out of it.

3. Critical infrastructure

Starlink has become essential in global infrastructure and defense. Governments and military depend on it.

4. Cryptocurrencies and market volatility

A Musk tweet has moved Bitcoin and Dogecoin by up to 30%. If you invest in crypto, he is an indispensable variable.

5. Startups and innovation

Any company competing in AI, energy, mobility, or space markets needs to analyze where Musk is betting.

The unfiltered personality and its consequences

Musk is known for controversial statements — criticisms of governments, explicit political positions, comments that move markets. This “lack of filter” has created a persona that amplifies his impact: every word can become a global trending topic in minutes.

For investors, this is both risk and opportunity. Risk because impulsive decisions can affect their companies. Opportunity because his moves tend to signal trends before the broader market absorbs them.

Conclusion: the future has a name

Understanding who Elon Musk is in 2025 is not curiosity — it’s a strategic necessity. He not only leads billion-dollar companies. He defines which technologies capital will flow into, which sectors will grow exponentially, and which traditional companies will become obsolete.

Investors who ignore Musk ignore the future. And in today’s world, that costs a lot.