Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink, and X (formerly Twitter), has a long history of influencing the stock market with his tweets. Whether he’s driving Tesla’s share price up (or down), shaking up cryptocurrency markets, or challenging regulators, Musk’s activity on social media has consistently made headlines.
In this article, we explore 15 of the most shocking Elon Musk tweets about the stock market—tweets that moved billions, sparked controversy, or led to regulatory action.
1. “Tesla stock price is too high imo” (1 May 2020)
One of Musk’s most infamous tweets, this post caused Tesla’s share price to plummet by over 10% in a single day. Many investors were left stunned as Musk publicly devalued his own company’s stock.
Impact:
- Tesla lost $14 billion in market value almost instantly.
- Shareholders were outraged.
- The SEC investigated the tweet, given Musk’s history with the agency.
2. “Funding secured.” (7 August 2018)
Musk tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private at $420 per share, adding that he had “funding secured.”
Impact:
- Tesla shares jumped 11% before trading was halted.
- The SEC sued Musk for securities fraud, leading to a $40 million settlement (£20M from Musk, £20M from Tesla).
- Musk was forced to step down as Tesla’s chairman for three years.
3. “Gamestonk!!” (26 January 2021)
During the GameStop short squeeze, Musk posted a single word: “Gamestonk!!” along with a link to the WallStreetBets subreddit.
Impact:
- GameStop’s share price surged over 60% in after-hours trading.
- Retail traders saw massive gains, while hedge funds lost billions.
- This tweet fuelled the meme stock movement and increased regulatory scrutiny on social media’s role in market manipulation.
4. “Dogecoin is the people’s crypto.” (4 February 2021)
While not directly about the stock market, this tweet sent Dogecoin soaring by 50% within hours, proving Musk’s ability to influence markets beyond equities.
Impact:
- Dogecoin’s market capitalisation gained billions overnight.
- Retail traders piled into Dogecoin, believing in Musk’s endorsement.
- Musk later called Dogecoin a “hustle” on Saturday Night Live, causing a 40% crash.
5. “Tesla stock should be worth more” (20 December 2019)
In a rare bullish Musk tweet, he claimed Tesla’s stock should be worth more.
Impact:
- The tweet boosted investor confidence.
- Tesla’s share price more than doubled over the next few months.
6. “I am selling almost all physical possessions. Will own no house.” (1 May 2020)
This cryptic tweet, posted the same day as the “Tesla stock price too high” tweet, caused confusion in the market.
Impact:
- Tesla stock dropped 10% in response.
- Musk sold several of his homes afterward, proving he wasn’t bluffing.
7. “Use Signal.” (7 January 2021)
Musk simply tweeted “Use Signal,” referring to the encrypted messaging app.
Impact:
- Investors mistakenly bought shares of Signal Advance, an unrelated penny stock.
- The stock skyrocketed 5,000%, before crashing once investors realised the mistake.
8. “Who controls the memes controls the universe.” (26 June 2020)
A seemingly random tweet, but one that fuelled meme stock investing.
Impact:
- Stocks like GameStop (GME) and AMC (AMC) gained momentum.
- Musk became an unofficial leader of the retail investor movement.
9. “In retrospect, it was inevitable.” (29 January 2021)
Musk tweeted this just as Bitcoin hit an all-time high.
Impact:
- Bitcoin surged 14% in a few hours.
- Speculation grew that Tesla was about to buy Bitcoin (which it later did).
10. “Bitcoin is almost as BS as fiat money.” (20 December 2020)
This tweet raised eyebrows, especially since Tesla later invested in Bitcoin.
Impact:
- Bitcoin briefly dropped before recovering.
- Musk later softened his stance, stating crypto “has a future.”
11. “Time to blow up short sellers” (8 December 2019)
Musk has long despised short sellers, and this tweet reaffirmed that stance.
Impact:
- Tesla stock surged, as retail investors rallied against short positions.
- Tesla later became one of the most profitable short squeezes in history.
12. “Tesla will make some merch buyable with Doge & see how it goes.” (14 December 2021)
A simple tweet that caused Dogecoin to spike 30% in minutes.
Impact:
- Dogecoin became one of the most volatile cryptocurrencies.
- Tesla briefly accepted Dogecoin as payment.
13. “I kinda love Etsy” (26 January 2021)
Musk tweeted about buying a hat for his dog on Etsy.
Impact:
- Etsy’s stock jumped 9% in pre-market trading.
- Musk’s tweet power over small-cap stocks became evident.
14. “Tesla stockholders should sue” (7 November 2021)
Musk hinted at selling $5 billion worth of Tesla shares, leading to investor concerns.
Impact:
- Tesla stock fell 5% before rebounding.
- Musk sold a significant portion of his holdings soon after.
15. “The stock market is insane lol” (3 July 2020)
A rare candid moment where Musk commented on market absurdity.
Impact:
- Investors debated whether Tesla’s valuation was justified.
- Tesla’s stock continued to climb despite Musk’s concerns.
Conclusion: The Power of Musk’s Tweets
Elon Musk’s tweets have profoundly impacted the stock market, cryptocurrencies, and meme stocks. While some of his tweets have led to SEC investigations, others have created overnight millionaires.
Key Takeaways:
Musk’s tweets can move billions in market value. He has repeatedly clashed with regulators over social media use. Investors must be cautious, as his tweets can be unpredictable.
Musk remains one of the most influential figures in finance, and as long as he keeps tweeting, markets will keep reacting.
Which of these tweets surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments!
