Elon Musk has become the richest individual ever recorded, with an estimated net worth of $839 billion, as the number of billionaires around the world reached a record 3,428, whose combined wealth climbed to an unprecedented $20.1 trillion.
Musk secured the top position on the Forbes World’s Billionaires ranking for the second consecutive year, after his fortune increased by nearly $500 billion over the past year. The growth was largely driven by rising valuations of Tesla and SpaceX, with SpaceX reportedly aiming for a public offering in 2026.
He has also become the first person in history to exceed $800 billion in net worth and is considered on track to potentially become the world’s first trillionaire.
According to Chase Peterson-Withorn, Senior Editor for Wealth, the past year has seen extraordinary growth among the world’s richest individuals. He noted that more than one new billionaire emerged each day over the previous twelve months, largely fueled by a stock market boom linked to advancements in artificial intelligence.
The billionaire ranking shows Larry Page, co-founder of Google, in second place with an estimated net worth of $257 billion. His fellow co-founder Sergey Brin follows in third place with approximately $237 billion.
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, ranks fourth with about $224 billion, while Mark Zuckerberg, head of Meta Platforms, holds the fifth position with an estimated $222 billion.
Meanwhile, the wealth of Donald Trump, President of the United States, reportedly rose by 27 percent, bringing his estimated net worth to $6.5 billion. The increase was largely linked to cryptocurrency-related ventures and the dismissal of a fraud penalty case in New York. He is ranked 645th on the global list.
