Forbes 2025 Billionaires list: Who tops the list of the world’s wealthiest?

Global business leaders and entrepreneurs have experienced an extraordinary rise in their wealth, significantly increasing their net worth through innovation and strategic foresight. The evolving wealth landscape has seen the collective fortunes of the world’s 500 richest individuals soar, reaching a remarkable milestone.

Tech Moguls Drive Wealth Surge

Notable figures such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang have contributed to a staggering combined net worth of $10 trillion. This surge is primarily attributed to the value of US technology stocks, which have played a crucial role in boosting billionaire fortunes. The tech leaders, including Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell, and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, have collectively seen their wealth grow significantly. These eight technology moguls alone accounted for over $600 billion of the $1.5 trillion increase among the world’s wealthiest individuals, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Billionaire Growth by Country

According to Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List for 2025, the United States leads with a record 813 billionaires, followed by China with 473 and India securing the third spot with 200 billionaires.

Elon Musk Emerges as the Richest Individual of 2025

Elon Musk has started 2025 as the world’s richest person, with a net worth of $433.9 billion, according to Forbes’ latest rankings. Musk made headlines last year as the first individual in history to surpass a net worth of $400 billion, driven primarily by SpaceX’s staggering valuation of $350 billion. Since December 1, Musk’s wealth has increased by $91 billion, further solidifying SpaceX’s position as the most valuable private company globally.

In addition to SpaceX, Musk leads Tesla and holds stakes in the social media platform X, AI company xAI, and tunnelling firm Boring Co.

Mark Zuckerberg Overtakes Larry Ellison as the Third Richest

In a notable shift, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg has surpassed Oracle founder Larry Ellison to become the third-wealthiest individual globally. As of Monday, Zuckerberg’s net worth increased by over 4 per cent to $217.7 billion, while Ellison’s wealth slightly declined to $209 billion.

This change reflects the recent stock performances of their respective companies, with Meta shares rising by approximately 4 per cent to $630.20, contrasting with Oracle’s slight decline of 0.3 per cent to $165.78.

Jensen Huang Joins the Top 10 Richest Individuals

Jensen Huang, CEO and co-founder of Nvidia, has entered the ranks of the top 10 richest people for the first time. Currently positioned at 10th, Huang boasts a net worth of $118 billion, primarily attributed to his significant stake in Nvidia. The company’s shares surged by 171 per cent in 2024, culminating in a market capitalization of $3.28 trillion, making it more valuable than Microsoft but still behind Apple. Huang has surpassed Spain’s Amancio Ortega, founder of Zara, whose fortune has weakened due to recent stock performance declines.

Top 10 Richest People in the World (2025)

Source: Forbes’ Billionaire List 2025