Elon Musk begins 2025 as the world’s richest individual, cementing his status as the first billionaire worth over $400 billion, according to a Forbes report on Wednesday.
The Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder leads a list of global tycoons whose combined net worths total $1.9 trillion as of January 1, 2025.
The combined net worth of the top 10 richest individuals now stands at $1.9 trillion, up from $1.8 trillion just a month ago.
These billionaires, primarily from the tech, retail, and luxury goods sectors, continue to shape global markets and influence industries on a monumental scale.
Notably, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has joined the ranks for the first time, reflecting the meteoric rise of the semiconductor industry.
Below is a look at the top 10 richest people in the world as of January 1, 2025, according to Forbes:
1 Elon Musk
Net worth: $421.2 billion
Source: Tesla, SpaceX, X, xAI
Age: 53
Citizenship: U.S.
Musk’s wealth surged by $91 billion in December, largely driven by a new valuation of SpaceX at $350 billion. Musk also gained attention following his appointment as co-head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by President Donald Trump.
2 Jeff Bezos
Net worth: $233.5 billion
Source: Amazon
Age: 60
Citizenship: U.S.
Bezos reclaimed the second spot after Amazon shares rose 5% in December, adding $10 billion to his fortune.
3 Larry Ellison
Net worth: $209.7 billion
Source: Oracle
Age: 80
Citizenship: U.S.
Despite a $17 billion drop in his wealth due to Oracle’s declining stock, Ellison remains among the top three.
4 Mark Zuckerberg
Net worth: $202.5 billion
Source: Meta (Facebook)
Age: 40
Citizenship: U.S.
Zuckerberg’s wealth increased slightly as Meta shares rose by 1.9% last month.
5 Bernard Arnault
Net worth: $168.8 billion
Source: LVMH
Age: 75
Citizenship: France
The luxury goods magnate saw an $8.5 billion boost due to a rise in LVMH’s stock value.
6 Larry Page
Net worth: $157.9 billion
Source: Google (Alphabet)
Age: 51
Citizenship: U.S.
Larry Page, co-founder of Google, maintains a strong presence on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals
7 Sergey Brin
Net worth: $153.4 billion
Source: Google (Alphabet)
Age: 50
Citizenship: U.S.
Sergey Brin, also a co-founder of Google, continues to accumulate wealth through Alphabet’s dominance in the tech sector.
8 Warren Buffett
Net worth: $139.6 billion
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Age: 94
Citizenship: U.S.
Buffett’s fortune dropped by $8.9 billion in December, sliding his rank from No. 6 to No. 8, as Berkshire Hathaway’s A shares declined by nearly 6% over the past month.
9 Steve Ballmer
Net worth: $123.5 billion
Source: Microsoft
Age: 68
Citizenship: U.S.
Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO and current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers, saw his fortune drop by $500 million in December, despite still being worth over $100 billion.
10 Jensen Huang
Net worth: $118 billion
Source: Nvidia
Age: 61
Citizenship: U.S.
Huang, CEO of Nvidia, joins the top 10 for the first time following a 171% increase in the company’s stock during 2024.
Forbes notes that nine of the top ten are Americans, and all are men.
Musk’s unprecedented fortune is largely tied to his stakes in Tesla, SpaceX, and other ventures.
The billionaire rankings fluctuate with stock market movements, reflecting the volatility and competitiveness among the world’s wealthiest individuals.
(Punch)
