IIn a society and era driven by ambition and entrepreneurial spirit, there is a group of outstanding individuals who have amassed unimaginable fortunes. These exceptional leaders, possessing vision and innovation, have risen to the highest spheres of success and catapulted themselves into the exclusive ranks of the world’s richest people. And that’s no small feat. After all, the net worth of the 10 richest people exceeds the GDP of numerous nations. Today, their wealth is mainly concentrated in the technology, finance, and retail industries. And the growing wealth inequality between them and the less privileged is a significant problem for people worldwide. This article reveals the identities of the 10 richest people in the world and sheds light on their remarkable achievements, entrepreneurial prowess, and profound influence on the global economy. This ranking comes from Forbes.Read also: The 10 richest people in Asia in 2024Disclaimer: The currency values mentioned in this article correspond to the status as of August 9, 2024 and are subject to fluctuations.
The 10 richest people in the world
| Name and rank | Net worth (in billion US dollars) | Source of wealth | country |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 Elon Musk | 222,00 € | Tesla, SpaceX | United States |
| #2 Jeff Bezos | 185.1 USD | Amazon | United States |
| #3 Mark Zuckerberg | 178.6 USD | on facebook. | United States |
| #4 Bernard Arnault and family | 177.8 USD | LVMH | France |
| #5 Larry Ellison | 159.8 USD | oracle | United States |
| #6 Warren Buffett | 136.1 USD | Berkshire-Hathaway | United States |
| #7 Larry Page | 135.1 USD | United States | |
| #8 Bill Gates | $129.4 | Microsoft | United States |
| #9 Sergei Brin | $129.4 | United States | |
| #10 Steve Ballmer | 120.2 USD | Microsoft | United States |
Meet the 10 richest people in the world
1. Elon Musk
- Age: 53
- Residence: Boca Chica, Texas
- Citizenship: USA
Elon Musk is the richest person in the world today. He is the CEO of several notable companies, including electric car maker Tesla and space exploration company SpaceX. He currently owns a 23 percent stake in Tesla. A significant portion of his wealth, about two-thirds, is tied to Tesla’s success. Musk made headlines in October 2022 when he bought Twitter for $44 billion. Musk led Tesla to its IPO in 2010. The company experienced significant growth in market capitalization in 2020 and 2021, catapulting Musk into the position of the top 10 richest people in the world in September 2021. At its peak in November 2021, Musk’s wealth reached a staggering $320 billion.Read also: Top 10 Most Followed Indians on Instagram in 2024
2. Jeff Bezos
- Age: 60
- Residence: Medina, Washington
- Citizenship: USA
In July 2021, Jeff Bezos decided to step down from his role as CEO of e-commerce giant Amazon, but retain his position as chairman. That same month, he embarked on a space journey aboard a rocket developed by Blue Origin, a private space exploration company that he founded and generously funded with billions of dollars. Read also: Top 10 Richest Women in India in 2024
3. Mark Zuckerberg
- Age: 40
- Residence: Palo Alto, California
- Citizenship: USA
Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, founded the social media platform Facebook in 2004 when he was just 19 years old. At the time, he was studying computer science and psychology at Harvard University. Facebook was founded to match the names of students on campus with their photos. In 2006, Facebook became accessible to anyone who was at least 13 years old and had a valid email address.
In May 2012, Zuckerberg took the company public, and in December 2016, he was ranked 10th on Forbes’ list of the world’s most powerful people. Zuckerberg currently owns about 13 percent of the company’s shares.
The 39-year-old engineer is married to Priscilla Chan and has three daughters. Together with his wife, he is investing $3 billion to eradicate, cure or control all diseases by the year 2100.
4. Bernard Arnault and family
- Age: 75
- Place of residence: Paris
- Nationality: France
Bernard Arnault, the second richest person in the world, is CEO and Chairman of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the world’s largest luxury goods company, which includes around 70 prestigious fashion and cosmetics brands. The well-known names in his portfolio include Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Moet & Chandon and Sephora. In January 2021, LVMH completed the acquisition of jeweler Tiffany & Co. for an incredible $15.8 billion.
Arnault’s five children work in various areas of the expanding LVMH empire. In January 2023, he appointed his daughter Delphine to head Dior, the group’s second-largest brand.
Also read: The 10 most followed Instagram accounts in the world
5. Larry Ellison
- Age: 79
- Residence: Manalapan, Florida
- Citizenship: USA
Larry Ellison co-founded the software company Oracle in 1977 and served as its CEO until 2014. He currently serves as the company’s chairman and chief technology officer. In 2012, Ellison made headlines when he purchased the Hawaiian island of Lanai for $300 million. Ellison has also invested in Salesforce.com, NetSuite, Quark Biotechnology Inc. and Astex Pharmaceuticals.
Read also: Top 10 Largest Companies in the World by Market Capitalization in 2024
6. Warren Buffet
- Age: 93
- Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
- Citizenship: USA
Warren Buffett, widely known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” is one of the most successful investors in history. He is the head of Berkshire Hathaway, an investment conglomerate with a diverse portfolio that includes numerous companies, including insurance provider Geico, battery manufacturer Duracell, Apple, Nu Holdings, and restaurant chain Dairy Queen. In 2010, Buffett, Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates founded the Giving Pledge initiative, which calls on billionaires to donate at least 50 percent of their wealth to charitable organizations. Buffett has stated his intention to donate 99 percent of his wealth, demonstrating his unwavering philanthropic commitment.Read also: Youngest billionaires in the world 2024
7. Larry Page
- Age: 51
- Residence: Palo Alto, California
- Citizenship: USA
Larry Page and fellow Stanford graduate student Sergey Brin co-founded Google in 1998. Page initially served as CEO until 2001, and later assumed that role from 2011 to 2015. He remains a board member of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, and as a major shareholder retains significant control over the company. In addition, Page played a key role as a founding investor in Planetary Resources, a company that plans to mine resources from asteroids and other planetary bodies.
8. Bill Gates
- Age: 68
- Residence: Medina, Washington
- Citizenship: USA
In 1987, Gates was first recognized as a billionaire by Forbes. He was the world’s richest person from 1995 to 2017, with brief exceptions in 2008 and from 2010 to 2013. In 2021, Gates and Melinda French Gates finalized their divorce, with Melinda receiving at least $6 billion worth of stock as part of the settlement. After leading Microsoft for 25 years, Gates turned his attention to philanthropic ventures. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation began working in India in 2003 and has prevented an estimated 600,000 new infections with its Avahan HIV prevention initiative.
9. Sergei Brin
- Age: 50
- Residence: Los Altos, California
- Citizenship: USA
Along with fellow Stanford graduate student Larry Page, Sergey Brin played a key role in founding the Google search engine in 1998. Russian-born Brin initially served as Google’s president of technology and later took charge of special projects, including the development of Google Glass, a wearable device with voice-controlled “smart glasses.” Brin currently serves on the board of Alphabet, Google’s parent company, and holds a significant majority stake in the company.
10. Steve Ballmer
- Age: 68
- Residence: Hunts Point, Washington
- Citizenship: USA
Steve Ballmer, a fellow student of Bill Gates at Harvard University, was CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. His career at Microsoft began in 1980, when he joined the company as its 30th employee after dropping out of his MBA program at Stanford University.
The same year that Ballmer left his job at Microsoft, he made headlines when he acquired the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team for a whopping $2 billion, setting the highest price paid for an NBA team at the time.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What will be the number of billionaires worldwide in 2024?According to Forbes, as of April 2, 2024, the number of billionaires was 2,781,141 more than last year and their total wealth was $14.2 trillion.
2. Is it possible for billionaires’ net worth to fluctuate?Absolutely. Because a significant portion of their wealth is tied to publicly traded stocks, the net worth of the richest individuals can fluctuate depending on market valuation.
3. Which country has the most billionaires? According to the Forbes World’s Billionaires List 2024, the United States has a record 813 billionaires, followed by China with 473 billionaires and India in third place with 200 billionaires.
