Tesla CEO Elon Musk boards Air Force One with U.S. President Donald Trump on March 22, 2025. Nathan Howard/Reuters

As expected, Tesla shareholders did a truly unprecedented thing, approving a pay package for Elon Musk that could, over the next decade, turn the CEO into the world’s first trillionaire.

First, some important caveats: Tesla and Musk need to hit certain milestones, including raising its already lofty market capitalization by 466%. Is it possible? Sure. Probable? Depends on whom you ask . But since there’s a not-zero chance Musk pulls it off, it’s worth exploring what we talk about when we talk about a “trillion.”

A lot of tech and financial media have been tossing the T-word around lately as if it means something. The thing is, it doesn’t. You know how I know that? Quick

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