Elon Musk made a bold statement of confidence in Tesla’s future by purchasing approximately $1 billion worth of company shares on September 12, indirectly through a revocable trust, according to a regulatory filing released Monday, marking his first open-market Tesla stock acquisition since February 2020.
The Tesla CEO executed this massive buy through a revocable trust, coinciding with board discussions about an extraordinary pay package that could potentially reach $1 trillion if Tesla achieves ambitious market value and performance milestones.
Tesla shares surged 7.3% in premarket trading following news of Musk’s substantial investment, positioning the stock to return to positive territory for 2025.
This impressive market reaction demonstrates investor confidence in Tesla’s leadership and strategic direction, especially after the company had experienced a challenging 45% decline through early April.
The billionaire entrepreneur’s latest Tesla stock purchase represents a significant shift from his previous selling pattern, having offloaded more than $20 billion worth of Tesla shares in 2022 during his Twitter acquisition.
Musk’s investment comes as Tesla navigates operational headwinds, including a 13% worldwide decline in vehicle deliveries during the first half of 2025.
Despite acknowledging potential “rough quarters” ahead due to phasing out US electric-car purchase incentives, the world’s richest person, with $419 billion net worth, is backing Tesla’s robotaxi and humanoid robot initiatives with substantial personal capital.
