Forbes has released its 2025 World Billionaires List, highlighting how global business leaders and entrepreneurs have significantly expanded their wealth through strategic innovation and expertise.
According to the rankings, Tesla CEO Elon Musk remains the world’s richest person, with his net worth soaring 75% to an estimated $342 billion. This increase is attributed to a year-long surge in Tesla’s stock value—despite recent declines—along with the rising valuations of SpaceX and his AI venture, xAI.
Musk has overtaken Bernard Arnault of LVMH, who now ranks fifth, marking his lowest position since 2017. Meanwhile, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has secured the second spot for the first time, with an estimated net worth of $216 billion, surpassing Amazon’s Jeff Bezos in third place and Oracle’s Larry Ellison in fourth.
Women constitute 13.4% of the world’s 3,028 billionaires, totaling 406 individuals. Walmart heiress Alice Walton has reclaimed the title of the world’s richest woman, surpassing L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers. This marks an increase from 369 female billionaires in 2024.
The United States leads the list with 902 billionaires, followed by China and Hong Kong with 516, and India with 205. Forbes describes its 39th annual billionaire ranking as “the definitive list of the world’s wealthiest individuals.”
Forbes 2025 World Billionaires List: Top 10
Tech leaders dominate the top rankings, with all ten spots occupied by men:
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Elon Musk – $342 billion (Tesla, SpaceX, xAI)
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Mark Zuckerberg – $216 billion (Meta)
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Jeff Bezos – $215 billion (Amazon)
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Larry Ellison – $192 billion (Oracle)
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Bernard Arnault & family – $178 billion (LVMH)
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Warren Buffett – $154 billion (Berkshire Hathaway)
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Larry Page – $144 billion (Google)
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Sergey Brin – $138 billion (Google)
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Amancio Ortega – $124 billion (Zara)
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Steve Ballmer – $118 billion (Microsoft)
World’s Richest Woman in 2025
Alice Walton, with a net worth of $101 billion, ranks 15th overall, making her the wealthiest woman on the list. Her brothers, Rob Walton and Jim Walton, secured the 11th and 12th positions, respectively.
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family hold the 20th spot with $81.6 billion, followed by Julia Koch & family at $74.2 billion from Koch Industries.
