Quadrillion for Musk: $998.9 trillion, factories on the Moon, and the death of the dollar
Elon Musk considers the status of a quadrillionaire "quite achievable." However, in his opinion, this would require not just growth in the market capitalization of Tesla or SpaceX, but a full-scale expansion beyond Earth. Social media recently calculated that the billionaire is short about $998.9 trillion to reach the coveted quadrillion dollars. Musk did not argue with the math and supported the idea: accumulating such sums, he believes, will only be possible through production on the Moon and Mars.
In a response to a post on X, Musk made it clear where he believes the upper limit of wealth creation on a single planet lies. It is impossible to amass a quadrillion using exclusively "Earthly" assets, whether stocks, real estate, or raw materials. "It's real, but it definitely requires factories on the Moon and Mars," the entrepreneur wrote.
Mass and Energy Instead of Money
Musk also pondered a fundamental question: what will currency even mean in the future? He did not name a direct replacement but suggested that the very concept of money could completely change. "By that time, I think dollars won't be the currency anymore. Only mass and energy," he emphasized. This statement echoes his long-standing ideas about decentralization and tokenization of resources, which could form the basis of a future economy.
All these reflections come amid the rapid growth of SpaceX. The company conducted a record IPO with a valuation of $2 trillion on the Nasdaq and briefly entered the top six most valuable companies in the U.S. Musk previously predicted that by 2030, SpaceX's revenue could reach $1 trillion, although in 2025 the company expects to earn $18.7 billion. The gap between current figures and ambitious forecasts is colossal, but it is precisely this gap that shapes the so-called "extraterrestrial" economy.
Musk's Volcanic Lair
The same logic is evident in all of Musk's projects. Under a contract with SpaceX, he will receive 200 million shares with enhanced voting rights if a permanent colony of at least one million people is established on Mars. SpaceX has already formed the first crew for a flight around Mars, which includes a well-known crypto billionaire. Musk did not miss the opportunity to joke that he will finally get that "volcanic lair" he has often smilingly mentioned publicly. Presenting his boldest ideas through references to science fiction is his signature style.
Cryptalist's Comment: Musk's idea that the dollar will give way to "mass and energy" as a universal measure of value is not just futurism. It is a direct hint that traditional fiat systems will not be able to serve an interplanetary economy. In this context, cryptocurrencies, especially those tied to real resources or energy, look not like speculation but a logical tool for future colonization. Musk's quadrillion is not a number but a marker of how far humanity is willing to go in space exploration. A market capable of tokenizing the energy of stars would indeed know no bounds.