The 25 Richest People in the World, According to Forbes

Forbes just released its 35th annual list of the world’s billionaires, pretty much confirming what various media outlets have been saying for roughly a year: A lot of rich people have gotten a lot richer during the coronavirus pandemic.

According to the report, 86 percent of all 2755 billionaires have seen an increase in net worth since 2020’s report, and more people became billionaires in the last year than in any previous year. The total net worth of every billionaire together is $13.1 trillion—a $5.1 trillion leap from 2020’s aggregate billionaire wealth.

Because stock prices and exchange rates fluctuate, net worths aren’t static; Forbes based their estimates on the data from March 5. Find out who made the top 25 below, and see the full list here.

1. Jeff Bezos

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos clinched Forbes’s number one spot for the fourth consecutive year with a net worth of $177 billion, up from $113 billion last year.

2. Elon Musk

Elon Musk’s ventures with Tesla, Inc. (he’s the CEO) and his own spacecraft manufacturing company SpaceX have launched him into second place. His net worth, which was “just” $24.6 billion in 2020, is now $151 billion.

3. Bernard Arnault and Family

As the head of French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, Bernard Arnault oversees Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Fendi, Dior, Marc Jacobs, Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, Sephora, and dozens of other brands. He and his family are worth $150 billion.

4. Bill Gates

In addition to owning about 1 percent of Microsoft, Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, run the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Assets from that and other investments combine for a net worth of $124 billion.

5. Mark Zuckerberg

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg went from $54.7 billion in 2020 to $97 billion in 2021. At 36 years old, he’s the youngest billionaire in Forbes’s top 25.

6. Warren Buffett

Investor and noted Dairy Queen enthusiast Warren Buffett is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, which owns GEICO, Duracell, Fruit of the Loom, and dozens of other companies (including Dairy Queen). He’s worth $96 billion.

7. Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison, with a net worth of $93 billion, is the co-founder, chairman, and chief technology officer of software company Oracle.

8. Larry Page

Google co-founder Larry Page was the CEO of Google’s owner Alphabet until late 2019, and he still holds controlling shares and sits on the board. His net worth went from $50.9 billion last year to $91.5 billion in 2021.

9. Sergey Brin

Page’s fellow Google founder Sergey Brin also left his position at Alphabet (as president) in late 2019 and continues to hold shares and serve on the board. He’s worth $89 billion.

10. Mukesh Ambani

As chairman and managing director of conglomerate Reliance Industries Limited, Indian mogul Mukesh Ambani has interests in textiles, oil and gas, retail, electronics, and more. He also has a net worth of $84.5 billion.

11. Amancio Ortega

Spanish businessman Amancio Ortega co-founded fashion retailer Inditex, whose most recognizable brand is Zara. His net worth is $77 billion.

12. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and Family

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers inherited L’Oreal—which her grandfather founded—when her mother died in 2017. She also inherited the title of richest woman in the world from her mother. Bettencourt Meyers is a member of the company’s board and the chairperson of the family holding company. Together with her family, she’s worth $73.6 billion.

13. Zhong Shanshan

Chinese businessman Zhong Shanshan owes his net worth mostly to Nongfu Spring, the bottled water and beverage company he founded and now chairs.

14. Steve Ballmer

Steve Ballmer left his gig as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, but he’s still worth $68.7 billion. He now owns the Los Angeles Clippers and focuses on philanthropic endeavors.

15. Ma Huateng

Ma Huateng is the co-founder and chairman of Chinese technology investment company Tencent Holdings. He also goes by “Pony Ma” and is worth $65.8 million.

16. Carlos Slim Helu and Family

Together with his family, Carlos Slim Helu controls Mexican telecommunications corporation América Móvil and has a net worth of $62.8 billion. He also has a 17 percent stake in The New York Times, among other investments.

17. Alice Walton

Walmart founder Sam Walton’s daughter, Alice Walton, just outranked her two living siblings (brother John Walton died in a plane crash in 2005) with a net worth of $61.8 billion. Her passion is art curation; she founded the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas in 2011.

18. Jim Walton

Alice’s brother Jim chairs the Walton family’s Arvest Bank, owns Walmart stock, and bequeathed his Walmart board seat to his son in 2016. He’s worth $60.2 billion.

19. Rob Walton

Sam Walton’s oldest son, Rob, was Walmart’s chairman from his father’s death in 1992 to 2015. He’s still a board member and a shareholder, and his net worth is $59.5 billion.

20. Michael Bloomberg

Most of former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s $59 billion comes from Bloomberg LP, the financial data and media corporation he founded in 1981.

21. Colin Zheng Huang

Huang Zheng, also known as Colin Huang, interned at Microsoft, worked at Google, and now chairs Chinese e-commerce website Pinduoduo. His net worth is $55.3 billion.

22. MacKenzie Scott

When MacKenzie Scott and Jeff Bezos divorced in 2019, Scott gained a 4 percent stake in Amazon (one-fourth of Bezos’s stake). Her overall net worth is $53 billion. She’s also a philanthropist and a novelist.

23. Daniel Gilbert

Dan Gilbert, co-founder of Quicken Loans and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, is worth $51.9 billion—up from $6.5 billion in 2020. He also co-founded resale platform StockX, whose popularity has recently skyrocketed.

24. Gautam Adani and Family

In addition to controlling India’s largest port, Mundra Port, Gautam Adani owns a coal mine in Australia and a 74 percent stake in Mumbai International Airport. He and his family are worth $50.5 billion.

25. Phil Knight and Family

Nike founder Phil Knight hung up his chairman hat in 2016, but he and his family are still worth $49.9 billion.

[h/t Forbes]