Musk, Zuckerberg, and 8 Others Lead Forbes’ List of World’s Richest People
Forbes has unveiled its latest rankings of the world’s wealthiest individuals, revealing a combined net worth of $1.9 trillion for the top 10 billionaires as of January 1, 2025. The list underscores the continued dominance of the tech, retail, and luxury goods sectors in shaping global wealth.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk kicked off 2025 as the world’s richest person, solidifying his position as the first billionaire worth over $400 billion. His fortune has helped push the collective net worth of the top 10 to $1.9 trillion, up from $1.8 trillion just a month ago.
The top 10 richest people in the world are:
- Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX)
- Jeff Bezos (Amazon)
- Larry Ellison (Oracle)
- Mark Zuckerberg (Meta)
- Bernard Arnault (LVMH)
- Larry Page (Google)
- Sergey Brin (Google)
- Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway)
- Steve Ballmer (Microsoft)
- Jensen Huang (Nvidia)
Notably, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, made his debut on the list, reflecting the booming success of Nvidia and the broader semiconductor industry. The company’s contributions to artificial intelligence and gaming technologies have propelled Huang’s wealth to new heights.
French luxury magnate Bernard Arnault continued to represent the enduring value of the luxury goods industry through his leadership of LVMH, while American tech giants dominated, with nine out of the top 10 billionaires hailing from the United States.
Warren Buffett, a staple in global finance, retained his place on the list, highlighting the enduring influence of traditional industries such as investment and insurance in an increasingly tech-driven economy.
Forbes also noted the volatility of billionaire rankings, which can shift with fluctuations in the stock market and significant business developments. The latest rankings also highlighted the ongoing gender disparity in global wealth, as all ten individuals on the list are men.
