Falling stock prices in Asia contributed to 117 former billionaires falling from the list worldwide. The United States had 492 billionaires on the list, the most of any country. China had the second most billionaires with 152, while Russia was third with 111. Algeria, Lithuania, Tanzania, and Uganda were all represented on the list for the first time. Turkey saw the most people drop off the list, 19, due to a period of high inflation in the country.
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Gates added $9 billion to his fortune since 2013 and topped the Forbes 2014 billionaire list. He had topped the list in 15 of the previous 20 years, but his previous number one ranking was in 2009. Mexican telecommunication mogul Carlos Slim came in second place after being number one the previous four years. American investor Warren Buffett was in the top five for the 20th consecutive year, placing fourth. America’s Christy Walton was the highest ranking woman, placing ninth overall. Aliko Dangote of Nigeria became the first African to enter the top 25, with an estimated net worth of $25 billion.
Larry Page, co-founder of Google and former CEO of its parent company Alphabet, ranks fifth with a fortune of $199 billion. Though no longer involved in day-to-day operations, Page maintains significant influence through his substantial voting power in Alphabet, shared with co-founder Sergey Brin. Mark Zuckerberg has experienced a remarkable wealth resurgence in 2025, with his net worth climbing to $259 billion. This financial recovery follows Meta’s successful pivot toward artificial intelligence and the metaverse, with the company’s stock price rebounding significantly from its 2022 lows. Zuckerberg’s 12% ownership stake in Meta forms the cornerstone of his fortune.
Scott Farquhar is cofounder of collaboration software company Atlassian, based in Sydney, Australia.
Christy Walton was the highest-ranking woman, placing 12th overall, with an inherited fortune of $22.5 billion. At age 25, Mark Zuckerberg continued to be the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. American Isaac Perlmutter was among the newcomers with an estimated fortune of $4 billion largely acquired in his sale of Marvel Entertainment to Disney. A record 1,210 billionaires made the 2011 list, representing a combined wealth of $4.5 trillion, up from $3.6 trillion the previous year. China had the second most billionaires with 115, while Russia was third with 101.
- Self-made billionaires made up the largest number of people on the list with 1,191 positions (over 65 percent), while just 230 (under 13 percent) had wealth through inheritance.
- Zheng Shuliang is the vice chairman of China Hongqiao Group, one of the country’s largest aluminum producers founded by her late husband Zhang Shiping.
- Arnault’s father made millions in the construction business; to get his start, Arnault used $15 million of that fortune to buy Christian Dior.
- These stories reflect ambition and resilience while showcasing profound contributions to society.
- But Ortega is close behind at No. 11, worth just $400 million less than Huang at the start of the new year.
Buffett is a prominent philanthropist and co-founder of The Giving Pledge, which encourages billionaires to donate the majority of their wealth to charity. He has pledged to give over 99% of his wealth to causes primarily through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other family charities. Buffett built his wealth through strategic, long-term investments, primarily via Berkshire Hathaway. His disciplined approach to investing, along with his acquisitions of profitable companies, has grown his fortune and cemented his reputation in finance. Larry Page is the co-founder of Google, one of the world’s largest technology companies. He played a key role in developing Google’s search engine algorithm, which transformed internet search and made Google the most widely used search platform.
Ricardo Salinas Pliego runs the number two Mexican TV broadcaster, TV Azteca, and retailer Grupo Elektra.
He has pledged over half of his total shares in the company as collateral for personal loans. Founded in 2002, SpaceX is a dominant force in the space and technology sector. The 54-year-old took control of Twitter in 2022 as part of a $44 billion deal, per the outlet. The ultimate guide to the top 10 richest billionaires on the planet is here. From Elon Musk and recently-married Jeff Bezos to Mark Zuckerberg, these individuals continue to dominate the global economy with their vast empires and are setting new benchmarks worldwide.
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We’ll explore who’s climbing up the ranks and who might face a fall from grace. Carlos Slim topped the 2012 list, marking this third consecutive year at the top. Gates placed second but narrowed the gap from 2011 as Slim’s fortune fell $5 billion while Gates’ rose $5 billion. Bernard Arnault of France was the top-ranking European on the list, placing fourth.
That’s because the fortune of the prior No. 10, Spain’s Amancio Ortega, fell by about $7 billion over the month on weaker Inditex shares. But Ortega is close behind at No. 11, worth just $400 million less than Huang at the start of the new year. Buffett created the Giving Pledge with Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates in 2010, asking billionaires to commit to give away at least half their fortune to charitable groups. So far he’s give more than $60 billion of Berkshire Hathaway stock to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and foundations Run By His Children and one started by his late first wife.
#151 Michael Rubin
Rob Walton is an American businessman and the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. He served as Walmart’s chairman from 1992 to 2015, overseeing the company’s expansion and market dominance. As a key shareholder, he remains one of the wealthiest individuals in the world.
But have you ever wondered who tops this list of the richest people in Asia? Michael Dell, with a net worth of $151 billion, is the founder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies. He built the company from his college dorm room into one of the world’s largest IT infrastructure providers, specializing in personal computers, servers, and data storage.
- Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the granddaughter of the founder of L’Oreal, is the richest woman in the world.
- Microsoft’s growth and strong performance over the years have substantially increased his net worth.
- Algeria, Lithuania, Tanzania, and Uganda were all represented on the list for the first time.
Added together, the total net worth for 2017’s billionaires was US$7.67 trillion, up from US$7.1 trillion in 2015. This was the first time after 12 years that Carlos Slim was not within the top five. China had 319 (not including Hong Kong, Taiwan or Macau), Germany had 114, and India had the fourth most with 101; India reached over 100 billionaires for its first time.
The Kansas native owns a 42% stake in the firm, as did his brother David, who died in August 2019. In 1983 Charles and David bought their two other brothers’ stakes in Koch Industries, reportedly for nearly $800 mn. His son Chase heads the company’s venture capital arm, which has invested in AI-based neurological diagnosis firm NeuraLight top 100 richest person in world and smart supply chain firm Arkestro. Nongfu Spring’s initial public offering in September 2020 massively increased Zhong’s wealth.
The United States still boasts the most billionaires, with 735 list members worth a collective $4.5 trillion. China (including Hong Kong and Macau) remains second, with 562 billionaires worth $2 trillion, followed by India, with 169 billionaires worth $675 billion. To calculate net worths, we used stock prices and exchange rates from March 10, 2023. See below for the full list of the world’s billionaires and our methodology.