Tesla Shareholders: Who Owns the Most TSLA Stock?
By Dan Mitchell | Updated: 7 October 2025
Introduction to Tesla
Tesla, founded in 2003 by Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning, is currently led by CEO Elon Musk. The company has established itself as the world's largest electric vehicle manufacturer by market value. Headquartered in Austin, Texas since December 2021, Tesla designs, manufactures, and sells electric cars, energy storage systems, and solar products. The company went public on June 29, 2010, with an initial share price of $17 on the Nasdaq under the ticker TSLA.
Ownership Breakdown
As of mid-2025, Tesla had approximately 3.23 billion shares outstanding, with ownership distributed as follows:
- Institutional investors: 48.1%
- Company insiders: 15.4%
- General public and others: 36.3%
This distribution indicates strong participation from large asset managers, while insider holdings help align management with shareholder interests.
Top Institutional Tesla Shareholders
The largest institutional holders of TSLA shares as of September 23, 2025, include:
| Investor | Shares Held | Stake (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Group | 251.4m | 7.6% |
| BlackRock | 206m | 6.2% |
| State Street Corporation | 113.4m | 3.4% |
| Geode Capital Management | 64.8m | 2% |
| JPMorgan Chase & Co | 46m | 1.4% |
| Morgan Stanley | 43.2m | 1.3% |
| Capital World Investors | 41.6m | 1.3% |
| Norges Bank | 37.3m | 1.1% |
| Goldman Sachs | 30.6m | 0.9% |
| FMR (Fidelity) | 29.9m | 0.9% |
Top Tesla Insiders
Insider holdings include shares owned by directors, officers, and significant shareholders. The largest individual insider is:
- Elon Musk – CEO and founder: approximately 15.3% of shares outstanding.
Overall, insiders hold about 15.4% of Tesla’s stock, indicating a significant equity interest by management.
The Bottom Line
Understanding who owns the most TSLA shares is crucial for assessing corporate governance and potential voting outcomes at shareholder meetings. While institutional investors contribute to market liquidity and can influence price movements, insider ownership, primarily led by Elon Musk, represents a substantial stake that aligns management with shareholder interests without granting majority control.