The world of billionaires is a universe where fortunes exceed the limits of understanding with their exorbitant figures. Bernard Arnault, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk lead the ranking. According to the list of billionaires made available by Forbes in real time, these are the ten tycoons who dominate the top of the global financial pyramid.
Earlier this month, Jeff Bezos overtook Elon Musk and took second place, while the owner of SpaceX and Tesla fell to third, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaires list. While Bezos’ fortune increased by about $7.9 billion, Musk’s remained stable. The two have constantly swapped places on the list. According to Forbes, in March alone they switched positions at least 13 times.
At the end of April, a rise in Tesla shares made Musk surpass Bezos. A few days later, however, Jeff Bezos regained his position.
Additionally, Larry Page, previously ranked tenth, now holds the sixth highest fortune. Bill Gates, who was in seventh, is now in ninth, Steve Ballmer, from eighth, went to tenth, and a new name among the ten biggest fortunes is Sergey Brin, who occupies seventh position with a wealth of US$136.6 billion.
1. Bernard Arnault
Com uma fortuna estimada em US$ 215,4 bilhões, Bernard Arnault, magnata francês, ocupa o posto de homem mais rico do mundo pelo segundo ano consecutivo. Seu império tem origem na LVMH, conglomerado que engloba marcas de luxo como Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior e Moët & Chandon.
2. Jeff Bezos
Founder of e-commerce giant Amazon, Jeff Bezos, is an emblematic figure in the business world, known for his bold vision and disruptive strategies that transformed the way we buy and sell online. At 59 years old, Bezos has a fortune of US$201.9 billion.
3. Elon Musk
In second place is South African-American visionary Elon Musk, with a fortune of US$194.7 billion. Founder of Tesla, SpaceX and X, Musk is known for his revolutionary innovations in space, technology and electric mobility.
Other investments by the South African-born billionaire include companies such as Neuralink, which implanted a chip in human brains.
4. Mark Zuckerberg
With a fortune valued at US$168.6 billion, Mark Zuckerberg is the creator of Facebook, now known as Meta Platforms. At 39, Zuckerberg continues to shape the social media and technology landscape, even in the face of regulatory challenges and public criticism.
5. Larry Ellison
Technology pioneer, Larry Ellison has a fortune of US$150.6 billion, mainly thanks to Oracle, the company he founded and which is a global leader in business software. Ellison maintains his position as one of Silicon Valley’s most influential figures.
Last year, he came to occupy third place on the Forbes list in real time, due to the increase in the company’s shares. However, the shares lost strength in recent months, and he ended up in fifth place on the list.
6. Larry Page
Co-founder of Google (now Alphabet), Larry Page has a fortune of US$142.5 billion. Page continues to influence the world of technology and innovation, leading one of the most powerful and innovative companies on the planet. He made Forbes’ list of the world’s top ten richest following a surge in Alphabet shares in the first half of last year.
7. Sergey Brin
Co-founder of Google (Alphabet) together with Larry Page, Sergey Brin has a fortune of US$136.6 billion. Brin is a computer scientist and internet entrepreneur. He immigrated to the US from the Soviet Union at age six. He studied mathematics and computer science at the University of Maryland and earned a PhD at Stanford University.
8. Warren Buffett
Investor Warren Buffett, at 93 years old, has accumulated a fortune of US$136 billion. CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett is known for his long-term investing style and shrewd financial decisions that have made him a living legend in financial circles.
Buffett donated around R$258 billion of his fortune to the Gates Foundation and his heirs’ foundations.
9. Bill Gates
Microsoft founder Bill Gates has accumulated a fortune of US$131.2 billion. At 68, Gates is recognized not only for his contribution to the digital revolution, but also for his philanthropic work through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Gates entered the Forbes billionaires list in 1987 and led the ranking of the world’s richest people for 18 years. He is currently in ninth place on the list.
10. Steve Ballmer
Closing the list of the 10 richest is Steve Ballmer, with a fortune of US$125.1 billion. Former CEO of Microsoft between 2000 and 2014, Ballmer is one of the most prominent names in the world of technology.
This year, Steve Ballmer bought the basketball team, Los Angeles Clippers — at the time, valued at R$10 billion. Currently, the team has a market price of around R$23.5 billion.
11. Now the poorest man in the world….me, the one writing this article. I will include my photo if this article is relevant to someone.
Ingrid Maldine is a business writer, editor and management consultant with extensive experience writing and consulting for both start-ups and long established companies. She has ten years management and leadership experience gained at BSkyB in London and Viva Travel Guides in Quito, Ecuador, giving her a depth of insight into innovation in international business. With an MBA from the University of Hull and many years of experience running her own business consultancy, Ingrid’s background allows her to connect with a diverse range of clients, including cutting edge technology and web-based start-ups but also multinationals in need of assistance. Ingrid has played a defining role in shaping organizational strategy for a wide range of different organizations, including for-profit, NGOs and charities. Ingrid has also served on the Board of Directors for the South American Explorers Club in Quito, Ecuador.
