Top 20 Richest People in the World
The global billionaire landscape remains dominated by technology innovators, with the top 20 richest individuals collectively commanding over $2.5 trillion in wealth. As of September 8, 2025, stock market fluctuations—particularly in AI, semiconductors, and e-commerce, have slightly reshuffled the rankings since early September, with gains for most tech leaders amid a bullish S&P 500. All top 20 are worth at least $118 billion, and 18 are American, underscoring Silicon Valley’s grip on extreme wealth. French luxury mogul Bernard Arnault and Indian pharma heir Mukesh Ambani represent the international contingent. Below, we detail each billionaire’s net worth, a brief biography, and key aspects of their business empires driving their fortunes.
1. Elon Musk – $421.2 Billion
Elon Musk, the 54-year-old South African-born innovator, tops the list after a $5.6 billion surge last week, fueled by Tesla’s 12% stock jump on strong EV deliveries and SpaceX’s latest Starship test success. Musk owns about 13% of Tesla, the electric vehicle and autonomous driving pioneer he co-founded in 2003, and 42% of SpaceX (valued at $380 billion privately), aimed at Mars colonization since 2002. His portfolio includes xAI (merged with X in 2025 for AI-driven social media), Neuralink (brain-machine interfaces), and The Boring Company (urban tunneling). Previously, he co-founded PayPal, sold for $1.5 billion in 2002. Musk’s ventures have revolutionized transportation, space, and AI, though they face regulatory hurdles like Tesla’s Autopilot scrutiny.
2. Larry Ellison – $272.4 Billion
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, 81, holds second place with a $1.5 billion weekly gain, as Oracle’s cloud services boom with AI integrations. Ellison, who dropped out of two colleges, started Oracle in 1977, building it into a database and enterprise software leader serving Fortune 500 firms globally. He owns an 8% stake and serves as chairman and CTO. Beyond tech, he controls 98% of Hawaii’s Lanai island, invests in biotech (e.g., Astex), and co-led the 2024 Skydance-Paramount merger. Ellison’s America’s Cup yacht racing and $500 million Stargate AI project with OpenAI highlight his adventurous side.
3. Mark Zuckerberg – $228.7 Billion
At 41, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg ranks third, up $4.6 billion on Meta’s AI advancements like Llama 3.1 and metaverse expansions. Zuckerberg launched Facebook from his Harvard dorm in 2004, rebranding to Meta in 2021 to include Instagram (1.4 billion users), WhatsApp, and Oculus VR/AR hardware. His 13% stake drives the wealth, with ad revenue from 3.2 billion daily users. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, co-founded with wife Priscilla Chan, has donated $6 billion to education and health. Zuckerberg’s vision of AI-powered virtual worlds faces privacy challenges but positions Meta as a social tech giant.
4. Jeff Bezos – $222.5 Billion
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, 61, is fourth after a $2.5 billion rise, tied to AWS cloud dominance and e-commerce growth. Bezos started Amazon in 1994 as an online bookseller, evolving it into a $2.1 trillion behemoth with AWS (cloud computing leader) and Prime services. He holds 9% of shares as executive chairman post-2021 CEO exit. Other assets include Blue Origin (reusable rockets, with Bezos’ 2021 spaceflight), The Washington Post, and a $500 million yacht. The Bezos Earth Fund has pledged $10 billion for climate action, reflecting his shift to philanthropy and exploration.
5. Larry Page – $191.8 Billion
Google co-founder Larry Page, 52, sits fifth with a $4.5 billion boost from Alphabet’s 10% share rally on Gemini AI updates. Page and Sergey Brin created Google’s search engine in 1998 as Stanford students; he was Alphabet CEO from 2015-2019. His 3% stake benefits from Android, YouTube (2.5 billion users), and Waymo (self-driving tech). Page invests in flying cars via Kitty Hawk and asteroid mining through Planetary Resources. A private figure with vocal issues, he supports climate tech via the Page Family Foundation.
6. Sergey Brin – $176.9 Billion
Sergey Brin, 51, Alphabet’s other co-founder, is sixth after gaining $4.7 billion, mirroring Page’s rise. Immigrating from Moscow at age six, Brin helped invent Google and served as its president until 2019. His 3% Alphabet stake powers wealth from search ads, Google Cloud, and ventures like Verily (life sciences). Brin funds anti-aging research and the Brin Wojcicki Foundation for education. An extreme sports enthusiast (kite-surfing, trapeze), he co-invests in quantum computing.
7. Bernard Arnault – $174.2 Billion
LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, 76, reclaims seventh with $3.7 billion added, as luxury sales rebound post-slowdown. The French tycoon controls 48% of LVMH, the $450 billion conglomerate owning Louis Vuitton, Dior, Fendi, Tiffany & Co., and Moët & Chandon. Starting in his family’s construction firm in the 1970s, he acquired Christian Dior in 1984 and built LVMH through 80+ deals. Arnault, with five children in executive roles, amasses a $2 billion art collection including da Vinci’s “Salvator Mundi.” He supports French heritage via the Fondation Louis Vuitton.
8. Steve Ballmer – $169.1 Billion
Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, 69, is eighth, steady at a 4% Microsoft stake amid its AI Copilot surge. Ballmer, Microsoft employee No. 30 since 1980, led as CEO from 2000-2014, acquiring Skype and pushing Xbox. He owns the LA Clippers (valued at $6 billion, bought for $2 billion in 2014) and vast real estate. The Ballmer Group has given $4 billion for poverty alleviation, focusing on education and health. Known for exuberant energy, Ballmer’s net worth benefits from Microsoft’s $3.3 trillion valuation.
9. Jensen Huang – $152.3 Billion
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, 62, ranks ninth after a $2.5 billion recovery, as GPU demand for AI training persists despite export curbs. Huang founded Nvidia in 1993 in his attic, pioneering graphics chips that evolved into AI accelerators powering ChatGPT and data centers. His 3.5% stake reflects Nvidia’s $3.8 trillion market cap. Taiwan-born and U.S.-raised, Huang’s signature leather jackets mark keynotes; he invests in startups and STEM via the Jensen Huang Foundation. Antitrust probes loom over Nvidia’s 90% AI chip dominance.
10. Bill Gates – $153.7 Billion
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, 69, rounds the top 10 with a $3.7 billion gain from diversified holdings. Gates, who dropped out of Harvard, started Microsoft in 1975 with Paul Allen, creating Windows and Office. Now board chair emeritus, his 1% stake plus Cascade Investment (in Canadian National Railway, Four Seasons hotels) sustains wealth. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has disbursed $77 billion for global health, eradicating polio in regions. Gates reads voraciously and invests in nuclear fusion via Breakthrough Energy.
11. Warren Buffett – $148.9 Billion
Investment icon Warren Buffett, 95, holds 11th after Berkshire Hathaway’s steady climb. The “Oracle of Omaha” built Berkshire from a textile firm into a $1 trillion conglomerate owning Geico, Dairy Queen, and stakes in Apple (40% of portfolio) and Coca-Cola. Buffett’s value investing philosophy, learned from Benjamin Graham, emphasizes long-term holds. He has donated $57 billion to charity, mostly to the Gates Foundation, and pledged 99% of his wealth. At 95, he mentors successor Greg Abel.
12. Michael Bloomberg – $118.4 Billion
Media mogul Michael Bloomberg, 83, is 12th, with wealth from Bloomberg LP’s data terminals. Bloomberg founded the firm in 1981 after Salomon Brothers, creating financial info tools used by 325,000 subscribers daily (20% ownership). A three-term NYC mayor (2002-2013), he launched Bloomberg Philanthropies, donating $16 billion to environment, public health, and arts. His 2020 presidential run highlighted gun control advocacy.
13. Alice Walton – $120.1 Billion
Walmart heiress Alice Walton, 75, ranks 13th as the richest woman, benefiting from Walmart’s e-commerce push. Daughter of founder Sam Walton, she inherited a 1.4% stake worth $100 billion+; her fortune rose on retail recovery. Walton founded the Crystal Bridges Museum in Arkansas and the Walton Family Foundation ($7 billion in education grants). An avid horse breeder and investor in fitness chains, she avoids the spotlight.
14. Michael Dell – $119.6 Billion
Dell Technologies founder Michael Dell, 60, is 14th after a PC and server rebound. Dell started his company in 1984 from a dorm, building the world’s largest PC maker (now $100 billion revenue). As CEO, he owns 44% post-2013 privatization. Investments include VMware and cloud services; he co-founded MSD Capital for private equity. Dell’s family office supports education and health initiatives.
15. Mukesh Ambani – $118.2 Billion
Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani, 68, represents India at 15th, up on Jio’s 5G rollout. Son of founder Dhirubhai, Ambani expanded petrochemicals into telecom (Jio, 500 million users) and retail (500 million customers). Reliance’s $250 billion empire includes green energy pivots like solar. He built a $2 billion Mumbai mansion and funds education via Reliance Foundation.
16. Carlos Slim Helú – $117.8 Billion
Mexican telecom tycoon Carlos Slim, 85, is 16th with América Móvil’s Latin American dominance. Slim built Grupo Carso from his father’s store, acquiring Telmex in 1990 and expanding to 300 million mobile subscribers. Stakes in NY Times and Saks add diversity. A voracious reader and art collector, Slim’s Slim Foundation aids health and education in Mexico.
17. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers – $116.5 Billion
L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, 72, is the top self-made woman at 17th. Granddaughter of founder Eugène Schueller, she and family own 33% of the $250 billion cosmetics giant. As vice-chair, she oversees innovation in skincare and haircare. The Bettencourt Schueller Foundation donates €1 billion+ to science; a Bach pianist, she authored biblical studies.
18. Jim Walton – $115.9 Billion
Walmart heir Jim Walton, 76, ranks 18th with brother Rob (20th); their 11% combined stake drives wealth. As finance committee chair, Jim oversees the $650 billion retailer. He chairs Arvest Bank ($26 billion assets) and funds conservation via Walton Family Foundation ($1 billion for rivers).
19. Gautam Adani – $114.7 Billion
Adani Group founder Gautam Adani, 63, is 19th after ports and energy expansions. From diamond trading, he built India’s largest port operator and renewables (100 GW goal). Adani Enterprises spans airports and cement; a 2023 Hindenburg short-seller probe cleared. He supports education via Adani Foundation.
20. Rob Walton – $113.2 Billion
Walmart co-heir Rob Walton, 80, closes the top 20 with sister Alice and brother Jim. Former chairman (2015-2021), he helped grow Walmart globally. Rob collects art (sold a $500 million da Vinci) and supports the Walton Family Foundation’s environmental efforts.
These ultra-wealthy individuals not only helm trillion-dollar industries but also wield influence in policy and giving, total billionaire philanthropy exceeds $200 billion annually. Rankings evolve with markets; check back always for real-time shifts.
Top 20 richest person in the world
