The new list for 2025 records 3,028 billionaires - the largest number in the 39 years of publishing the ranking - and a total net worth reaching $16.1 trillion.
Forbes' new, 39th annual list of the world's billionaires marks a rapid rise in global wealth, which this year features 3,028 names - a record number since the list was first published in 1987.
Their total wealth amounts to $16.1 trillion, the highest amount of all time.
Elon Musk reclaims the top spot, dethroning French luxury goods tycoon Bernard Arnault, as his fortune surged 75% to $342 billion. The rise in his net worth is due to the valuation of xAI, SpaceX, and the upward trend in Tesla shares over the past 12 months, despite a recent decline.
With this level, Musk becomes the first person to ever surpass $300 billion in personal wealth.
In second place after Musk is Mark Zuckerberg with an estimated fortune of $216 billion, while Jeff Bezos follows in third place with $215 billion. In fourth place is Oracle founder Larry Ellison with $192 billion and in fifth place is Bernard Arnault and his family with $178 billion.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has doubled his fortune to $5.1 billion, thanks to his stake in Trump Media & Technology Group and large income from his recent investments in cryptocurrencies.
"It's another record year for the world's richest, despite economic uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions. And from Elon Musk to Howard Latnick and other billionaires increasingly penetrating the US government, their influence is constantly expanding," said Chase Peterson-Whitehorn, wealth editor at Forbes.
The 2025 list features 288 new billionaires appearing for the first time, including musician Bruce Springsteen, Chipotle founder Steve Ells, Alphabet/Google CEO Sundar Pichai, actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and 28-year-old Scale AI co-founder Alexander Wang, the world's youngest billionaire.
The United States maintains its lead with 902 billionaires, a record number, with a total worth of $6.75 trillion. China follows in second place with 450, and India in third place with 205.
The number of people with a fortune of more than $100 billion also reached a record high, with 15 people worldwide – up from 14 last year and none in 2017. This closed “club” of the super-rich owns a total of $2.4 trillion, or about 15% of the total wealth of all billionaires, even though it represents only 0.5% of the total.
At the same time, 107 people fell off the list this year, including Hermès heir Nicolas Pess and Hobby Lobby owner David Green, while 32 billionaires died during the year. (A2 Televizion)
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