Tesla owner: Elon Musk holds nearly 20%, with BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street next
Tesla is owned by its shareholders. Elon Musk owns nearly 20% per the proxy statement, with BlackRock, Vanguard and State Street the largest institutions. His exact stake varies by tracker.
Tesla is owned by its shareholders, and the largest is CEO Elon Musk, who owns nearly 20% according to the proxy statement Tesla filed ahead of its 3 December 2026 annual meeting. Of his shares, 207.5 million are pledged against loans, and Vanguard Capital Management holds 5.3%, as reported by Reuters. Other trackers show Musk anywhere from about 13% to 30%, depending on whether options and restricted shares are counted. 12
Who owns Tesla? Top shareholders
| Shareholder | Stake | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Elon Musk | Nearly 20% (proxy); 13% to 30% on other trackers | Includes 207.5 million pledged shares |
| BlackRock | 5.53% | Simply Wall St, June 2026 |
| Vanguard Capital Management | 4.87% (5.3% in the proxy) | Vanguard now reports through several entities |
| State Street Global Advisors | 3.05% | Simply Wall St, June 2026 |
| Geode Capital Management | 1.81% | Simply Wall St, June 2026 |
| Capital Research and Management | 1.42% | Simply Wall St, June 2026 |
Institutions hold about 43% of Tesla in total and the general public about 27%, according to Simply Wall St’s ownership breakdown in June 2026. 23
Why do Musk’s numbers differ so much?
Musk’s stake changed sharply in 2026. On 16 June he exercised all 303.96 million options from his 2018 award, which added to the shares he holds outright. Tesla’s 2025 CEO Performance Award of about 423.7 million restricted shares is also part of his compensation, and 286.4 million restricted shares vest in January 2028 if he stays in a leadership role. Sources that count restricted shares and options show a higher percentage than those that count only shares he owns outright. 1
How much of Tesla can Musk pledge?
Tesla’s pledging policy caps borrowing secured by Musk’s pledged shares at the lesser of $3.5 billion or 25% of the shares’ value. He had pledged 207.5 million shares at the time of the proxy filing. See our Tesla company page for the leadership and board history. 1
Who has the right to sue Tesla’s board?
A 3% ownership threshold for shareholder derivative lawsuits, adopted after Texas passed a law allowing it, means an investor must hold roughly $30 billion of stock to qualify. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said only four shareholders meet that bar: Musk, Vanguard, BlackRock and State Street. A shareholder proposal to repeal the threshold was on the 2025 ballot. 4
Does Musk control Tesla?
Musk has no majority and Tesla has one class of shares with one vote each, but his stake and the pay award give him strong influence over the board. Glass Lewis’s proxy paper in 2025 listed him at 15.32% of Tesla, with Vanguard at 7.56%, BlackRock at 6.18% and State Street at 3.41%. His wealth is mostly tied to Tesla and SpaceX; see our guide to the richest man in the world. 5
What happens next
Shareholders vote on re-electing Musk, chair Robyn Denholm and director JB Straubel at the 3 December annual meeting. The next ownership figures will come from the first quarter 2027 filings. For other tech companies, read who owns Amazon and who owns Apple.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the owner of Tesla?
Tesla is owned by its shareholders. The largest is Elon Musk, with nearly 20% according to the proxy filed ahead of the December 2026 annual meeting, followed by institutions such as BlackRock and Vanguard.
How much of Tesla does Elon Musk own?
Nearly 20% in the latest proxy, including 207.5 million pledged shares. Other trackers show 13% to 30% depending on how options and restricted shares are counted.
Who are Tesla's largest institutional shareholders?
BlackRock holds about 5.5%, Vanguard Capital Management about 4.9% to 5.3%, and State Street about 3%.
When is Tesla's annual meeting?
Tesla’s annual meeting is on 3 December 2026.
