Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, experienced a staggering $17.9 billion decline in his wealth on Thursday, as the company’s shares suffered their steepest fall in nearly five years.
The slump came following a broader stock market downturn triggered by newly imposed U.S. tariffs.
Meta’s shares closed the day at $531.62, a drop of 8.96%, marking their worst single-day performance since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to real-time data from Forbes, Zuckerberg’s net worth fell by 8.85% in just 24 hours, settling at $184.1 billion. He now stands as the third-richest person globally.
This sharp sell-off follows the White House’s sweeping announcement of new trade tariffs, including a 10% baseline on all imports and targeted increases of up to 25% on selected goods such as foreign-manufactured cars.
Analysts warn that the technology sector—already sensitive to geopolitical shifts—is particularly exposed to the risks posed by such protectionist measures.
Meta’s losses are part of a wider retreat in equities. The Nasdaq Composite plunged by 5.7%, its most volatile day since the height of the pandemic, while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 4.4% and 3.7%, respectively. Investors are increasingly turning to safer assets like U.S. Treasury bonds as economic uncertainty mounts.
The timing of Meta’s downturn is especially striking, coming just weeks after the company posted robust fourth-quarter results.
Meta reported earnings of $8.02 per share, exceeding forecasts, alongside a 21% annual revenue increase to $48.4 billion.
Strong performance in digital advertising and user growth across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and Meta AI helped boost investor confidence.
At its recent high of $740.89, Meta stock reflected market enthusiasm about the firm’s strategic move towards artificial intelligence and emerging revenue streams.
However, Thursday’s plunge has brought shares below their 200-day moving average, prompting concerns about whether the stock can maintain momentum.
Technical experts now identify $530 as a key support level. If it fails to hold, the stock could slip further, possibly down to $505 or even $480.
Despite the market turbulence, Meta’s fundamentals remain solid. The company boasts more than 3.3 billion daily active users across its app ecosystem.
Threads recently crossed 320 million monthly users, while Meta AI now serves over 700 million users each month. Zuckerberg, who owns about 13% of Meta, has pledged to donate 99% of his shares throughout his lifetime.
In the immediate future, investor attention is fixed on April 23, when Meta will announce its first-quarter results.
Projections suggest earnings per share between $5.19 and $5.33 on revenues as high as $41.8 billion. Whether the tech giant can steady the ship will hinge on its ability to convince investors that its long-term growth story remains intact, despite the evolving global economic climate.
