'Tanking so hard': Internet trolls Elon Musk as Mark Zuckerberg passes him on billionaires list for first time since 2020
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: The battle for billionaire dominance has taken an unexpected turn, with Mark Zuckerberg overtaking his long-time rival Elon Musk on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, as per Business Insider.
In a stunning reversal of fortunes, the Meta chief has risen to the third spot, leaving the Tesla and Twitter tycoon trailing in fourth place. This shift in billionaire rankings has sparked intense online discussion, with internet users trolling Musk.
Mark Zuckerberg's net worth has surged by $58.9 billion this year
According to Bloomberg's report, Zuckerberg's net worth has surged by $58.9 billion this year, driven by the success of Meta Platforms Inc. The 39-year-old billionaire's fortune now stands at $186.9 billion.
In contrast, Musk's wealth has experienced a sharp decline, plummeting by $48.4 billion and dropping him to the fourth position on the billionaires list. This downward spiral was worsened by Reuters' report that Tesla had abandoned plans to build a less-expensive car, causing shares to tumble.
Musk refuted the claims, accusing Reuters of lying without providing specific inaccuracies.
Adding to Musk's problems, Tesla's vehicle deliveries fell for three consecutive months, marking the company's first year-over-year decline since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Furthermore, a Delaware judge struck down Musk's $56 billion Tesla pay package, a decision that could potentially further reduce his net worth, as the Bloomberg index included options from this package in its calculations of his wealth.
Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk have a history of engaging in public disputes
Zuckerberg last held a top three position on the Bloomberg index on November 16, 2020, when his net worth was $105.6 billion and Musk's was $102.1 billion. By November 2021, the wealth gap between Zuckerberg and Musk had widened to as much as $215 billion.
The two billionaires have a history of engaging in public disputes and even exchanged challenges to spar in a cage fight last year, which Zuckerberg eventually backed down from, remarking, "It's time to move on."
Internet mocks Elon Musk upon learning about his wealth decline
The news of Musk's wealth decline triggered a wave of mockery across social media platforms. One Facebook user remarked, "How to become a millionaire: 1) Start with a billion dollars. 2) Be Elon Musk." Another user on the platform quipped, "Tesla is tanking so hard. That's where his wealth is. Not going to recoup that and Twitter is worthless."
Another user chimed in, suggesting, "Zuckerberg doesn’t have a couple of money pits draining the bank." Meanwhile, one individual noted, "Well since Zuckerberg actually has the cash and not just worth that much on paper it's no surprise."
One user humorously stated, "Shoulda bought a Toyota..." Lastly, a user offered a piece of advice to Musk, writing, "Hey Elon, dump X and focus your brain on Tesla."
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
