FX.co ★ What world's wealthiest people spent their first million dollars on

Elon Musk

In 1999, at the age of 27, Elon Musk sold his first company, Zip2, to Compaq for $307 million, receiving $22 million for his 7% share. Instead of spending this money on personal pleasures, he invested $12 million into the creation of an online bank, X.com, which later became known as PayPal. Today, Musk heads the list of the world’s wealthiest people with a fortune exceeding $400 billion, thanks to his stakes in Tesla, SpaceX, and other tech companies.

Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison, co-founder of Oracle Corporation, earned his first million dollars in the early 1980s when his company began to profit from database software sales. Instead of spending the money on personal luxuries, Ellison reinvested it into the development of Oracle, allowing the company to become one of the leaders in enterprise software. Today, Ellison’s net worth is estimated at $254 billion, making him the second richest person in the world after Elon Musk.

Jeff Bezos

In 1998, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos invested $250,000 in the then little-known company Google. This investment netted him around $3.3 million when Google went public in 2004. However, instead of spending this money on personal needs, Bezos reinvested it into Amazon's development, expanding the product range and improving logistics. By 2025, his net worth is expected to be $230 billion, making him one of the wealthiest people in the world.

Mark Zuckerberg

In 2007, when Facebook was still gaining popularity, 23-year-old Mark Zuckerberg made his first million dollars after Microsoft’s investment, which valued the company at $15 billion. Instead of going on spending spree, he reinvested the money into the platform's development, hiring engineers and expanding infrastructure. This strategic approach allowed Facebook to go public in 2012 and transform into a global high-tech giant. As of 2025, Zuckerberg’s net worth is estimated at $242 billion.

Warren Buffett

In 1961, at the age of 31, Warren Buffett invested $1 million in Dempster Mill, a manufacturer of windmills and agricultural machinery. After a management change and restructuring, he sold the asset for nearly three times more, strengthening his reputation as a shrewd investor. In 1965, Buffett gained control of Berkshire Hathaway, then a textile factory, which he later transformed into an investment empire. Today, his net worth exceeds $153 billion.

Larry Page

In 1998, Larry Page, after receiving his first million-dollar investment, directed the funds towards the development of Google: renting office space, acquiring servers, and hiring talented specialists. These investments laid the foundation for the company’s growth. Today, Page remains one of the largest shareholders of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company, and is among the top ten wealthiest people in the world, with a net worth of over $146 billion.

Bernard Arnault

In 1984, Bernard Arnault, a 35-year-old French businessman, acquired the bankrupt textile group Boussac Saint-Freres, which included the fashion house Christian Dior. Using the proceeds from asset selling, he focused on developing Dior, which became the cornerstone of his empire. Later, Arnault became chairman and CEO of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate, encompassing more than 75 brands. His current net worth is estimated at $141 billion.