NEW YORK – Forbes has released its 38th annual World’s Billionaires list, a ranking of the world’s richest people. This year’s list features a record-breaking 2,781 billionaires, more billionaires than ever before, 141 more than last year and 26 more than the previous record set in 2021.
French luxury goods titan Bernard Arnault tops the World’s Billionaires ranking for the second year in a row, after his net worth grew by 10% to an estimated $233 billion, thanks to another record year at his conglomerate, LVMH. Elon Musk remains in the second spot, with an estimated net worth of $195 billion, up 8% from last year but noticeably lower than his net worth in November 2021, when he became the first person ever to be worth $300 billion. The decline is largely due to a fall in the value of Tesla shares.
“It’s been an amazing year for the world’s richest people, with more billionaires around the world than ever before,” says Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes Senior Editor, Wealth. “A record-breaking 14 centibillionaires have 12-figure fortunes. Even during times of financial uncertainty for many, the super-rich continue to thrive.”
The world’s billionaires are richer than ever. Collectively, they are worth a record-breaking $14.2 trillion, up by $2 trillion from our 2023 list and $1.1 trillion above the previous record, set in 2021. The top 20, in particular, had a great year, adding a combined $700 billion in wealth over the past 12 months.
Key Highlights:
- Newcomers: This year’s ranking features 265 newcomers, including fashion designer Christian Louboutin($1.2 billion); NBA legend Magic Johnson ($1.2 billon); TV producer Dick Wolf ($1.2 billion); pop star Taylor Swift ($1.1 billion), who has toured and recorded her way to billionaire status; and OpenAI’s Sam Altman ($1 billion).
- Globally: The United States still has more billionaires than any other country, now boasting a record 813 on the list, worth a combined $5.7 trillion. China remains second, with 473 (including Hong Kong) worth $1.7 trillion. India, which has a record-breaking 200 billionaires worth $954 billion, ranks third.
