Elon Musk is the wealthiest individual ever recorded, worth an estimated $839 billion, Forbes said Tuesday, as a record 3,428 billionaires worldwide saw their combined fortunes surge to an all-time high of $20.1 trillion.
Musk topped the Forbes World’s Billionaires list for the second consecutive year after his fortune swelled by roughly $500 billion over the past twelve months, driven by rising valuations at Tesla and SpaceX, which is targeting a public offering in 2026.He is the first person ever to surpass the $800 billion mark and is on course to become the world’s first trillionaire.
Forbes 40th Annual World’s Billionaires List
Forbes releases its 40th-annual World’s Billionaires list, the definitive ranking of the planet’s richest people. Wealth surged to unprecedented levels over the past year, with fortunes climbing at a record pace. This year’s list features 3,428 billionaires, the most since the list’s inception in 1987. The world’s wealthiest people are worth a record $20.1 trillion combined, up from $16.1 trillion in 2025.
Elon Musk tops the Billionaires list for the second year in a row and is the richest person ever recorded, worth an estimated $839 billion. His net worth skyrocketed by half of a trillion dollars from last year, thanks to a rise in the value of Tesla, and SpaceX which is aiming to go public in 2026. Musk is the first person ever recorded to reach the $800 billion mark, as he moves toward becoming the world’s first trillionaire.
“It’s the year of the billionaire,” said Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes Senior Editor, Wealth. “The planet added more than one billionaire per day over the past twelve months as the AI-powered stock market boom boosted fortunes to previously unimaginable heights.”
Larry Page, cofounder of Google, follows far behind Musk, in the No. 2 spot with an estimated net worth of $257 billion, followed by his cofounder Sergey Brin at No. 3 ($237 billion). Jeff Bezos holds the No. 4 spot ($224 billion) and Mark Zuckerberg ($222 billion) rounds out the top 5.
President Donald Trump’s fortune increased by 27%, to an estimated $6.5 billion, thanks largely to crypto dealings and his New York fraud penalty being thrown out. He ranks No. 645 worldwide.
The 2026 ranking features 390 newcomers, including Dr. Dre; Beyonce Knowles-Carter; and tennis legend Roger Federer.
The United States has more billionaires than any other country, now boasting a record 989.
AFP
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