With the social networking platform facing financial and operational challenges, Darsana Capital Partners, an investment firm that had previously acquired a portion of X’s debt earlier this year, also contributed to the funding round. 

Another investor was 1789 Capital, a firm with a history of backing Musk’s ventures, including SpaceX and xAI.

This points to Musk’s reliance on private capital to support his business empire. SpaceX recently completed a tender offer that valued the company at around $350 billion, while xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, is reportedly seeking new funding at a valuation of $75 billion.

X’s financial structure is still complex. Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022 included at least $12.5 billion in debt, which means that despite this latest funding round, the platform’s overall enterprise value still hovers around the original purchase price.

Since Musk’s takeover, X has undergone some issues, with deep staff cuts and a wave of advertisers pulling out due to concerns over brand safety. The platform has been challenged with regaining trust among major brands that were hesitant to continue their spending.

Musk has taken an aggressive stand, filing lawsuits against major advertisers that have withheld spending. These moves, coupled with his high-profile political involvement, have added another layer of uncertainty to X’s business outlook. Some brands have returned, but the advertising landscape remains volatile.

While X’s valuation stays steady, Musk’s publicly traded company, Tesla, has been on a decline. Tesla’s stock has dropped more than 40% this year, a drop attributed to growing competition in the electric vehicle (EV) industry and Musk’s political activities, which have alienated some consumers.

The latest blow came on Tuesday when Tesla shares fell 5.3% after Chinese automaker BYD revealed a new EV that can charge at speeds comparable to refueling a petrol-powered car. This development shows more competitive pressure on Tesla, which has already been struggling with slowing sales and price cuts.

Meanwhile, X’s business outlook seems uncertain despite the recent fundraising success. Some investors are skeptical, with Fidelity Investments marking down its stake in X by 68% as of January. However, the platform has shown signs of financial stability, with reports indicating it posted $1.2 billion in adjusted earnings for 2024—matching its pre-Musk levels.

Discussions are ongoing, and while no final decision has been made, the company could either proceed with the fundraising or abandon the plans altogether.

The aim for fresh capital follows a challenging financial period for X. In December 2023, Fidelity Investments reduced the estimated value of its stake in the company by about 70%, casting doubt on the platform’s financial standing. 

However, recent developments show a shift in investor interest. Banks such as Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, and Barclays have been selling off X-related debt, with Morgan Stanley successfully offloading $3 billion worth of X’s debt at face value.

Investor confidence in X appears to be improving, partly due to a resurgence of major advertisers, including Amazon and Apple. Their return to the platform could enable revenue boost after previous advertiser withdrawals.

Beyond X, Musk’s other business companies have been thriving. Tesla’s shares have seen a sharp increase, rising over 40% in recent months, and SpaceX has reached a $350 billion valuation. 

Meanwhile, Musk’s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is in the process of securing funding at a valuation of around $75 billion. X itself holds a $6 billion stake in xAI, further linking Musk’s various enterprises.

Political perspectives believe Musk’s relationship with former U.S. President Donald Trump could influence regulatory policies in ways that benefit X and Musk’s other companies. 

Again, early backers of Musk’s acquisition of X, such as Andreessen Horowitz, Sequoia Capital, and the Qatar Investment Authority, remain essential players whose continued support could be indispensable in any new funding round that could boost the platform’s valuation.

Fidelity, an asset management firm, has reduced the value of its investment in X (formerly Twitter), now placing the platform at a valuation of just $9.4 billion.

This is a steep drop from Elon Musk’s original $44 billion purchase price in 2022, representing a huge markdown of 78.7% in Fidelity’s holdings by the end of August, according to the company’s recent disclosures.

Initially, Fidelity invested $19.66 million in the social media platform as part of Musk’s acquisition of the company. However, the asset manager now places its stake in X at a reduced figure of $4.18 million, a continuation of earlier cuts. Just a month prior, the investment was valued at $5.5 million, indicating a further decline over the last few months. 

This reduction comes after a series of downward adjustments by Fidelity over the past year, with the firm first cutting its stake by 65% in 2023, and then marking it down again by 71.5% earlier this year. 

Despite the ongoing reductions in value, neither Musk nor representatives from X or Fidelity have provided any public comment on the most recent valuation changes.

The $9.4 billion valuation implies that the platform is now worth less than a quarter of what Musk initially paid. Musk had secured a $13 billion loan to complete the acquisition, with lenders reportedly struggling to recover even 60% of the loan’s value. 

The debt is spread across various financial instruments, including term loans and senior and junior bonds, further complicating the situation for creditors.

Meanwhile, Fidelity’s decision to scale back the valuation of its investment comes as X is currently facing some challenges under Musk’s leadership.

While Elon Musk has also been involved in raising $6 billion for his other ventures, such as xAI, the unexpected decline in X’s valuation leaves the public wondering about the long-term viability of the social media platform.