Elon Musk’s Bold Claim: Bill Gates Could Go Bankrupt Over Tesla Short

Elon Musk has reignited his ongoing rivalry with Microsoft founder Bill Gates, making a bold claim on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). Musk suggested that Gates could face financial ruin if Tesla becomes the world’s most valuable company. The comment centers around Gates’ previous short position against Tesla, which allegedly led to a $1.5 billion loss.

In his post, Musk wrote, “If Tesla does become the world’s most valuable company by far, that short position will bankrupt even Bill Gates.”

Understanding Short Position

A short position is an investment strategy where an investor borrows stocks to sell them at current market prices, hoping to buy them back at a lower price to make a profit when the stock value declines.

Bill Gates and Tesla’s Short Position

The tension between Musk and Gates dates back to 2022 when Gates revealed he had placed a short bet against Tesla. According to Walter Isaacson’s 2023 biography on Musk, this bet reportedly cost Gates $1.5 billion. Musk criticized Gates for betting on Tesla’s failure during a time when the company was struggling, calling it a hypocritical move. Musk shared his thoughts on X, saying, “Taking out a short position against Tesla results in the highest return only if the company goes bankrupt. Gates bet on Tesla’s demise when we were at our weakest.”

Musk continued, questioning Gates’ environmental stance, accusing him of hypocrisy for asking for donations to his environmental initiatives while profiting from Tesla’s potential failure.

Tesla’s stock has seen impressive growth, rising by 56.91% this year, thanks in part to strong ties with political figures and favorable predictions from major financial institutions. As Tesla’s stock soars, Gates’ bet against the company could prove costly.

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