Forbes has released its latest list of the world’s richest individuals, highlighting 10 global tycoons whose combined net worth reached an astounding $1.9 trillion as of January 1, 2025.
The latest rankings reflected the continued dominance of tech, retail, and luxury goods industries in shaping global wealth.
According to Forbes, Tesla CEO Elon Musk began 2025 as the world’s richest person, cementing his status as the first billionaire worth over $400 billion. The SpaceX founder led a list of global tycoons whose combined net worth totals $1.9 trillion up from $1.8 trillion just a month ago.
Hereunder are the top 10 richest persons in the world:
1. Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX)
2. Jeff Bezos (Amazon)
3. Larry Ellison (Oracle)
4. Mark Zuckerberg (Meta)
5. Bernard Arnault (LVMH)
6. Larry Page(Google)
7. Sergey Brin (Google)
8. Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway)
9. Steve Ballmer (Microsoft)
10. Jensen Huang (Nvidia)
For the first time, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang joined the ranks of the world’s wealthiest individuals. His inclusion reflected the meteoric rise of Nvidia and the semiconductor industry, which was instrumental in powering advancements in artificial intelligence and gaming technologies.
French luxury mogul Bernard Arnault remained a significant figure on the list, representing the enduring value of the luxury goods sector through his leadership of LVMH. Meanwhile, American tech giants continued to dominate, with nine of the top ten billionaires hailing from the United States.
Warren Buffett, one of the most prominent names in finance, maintained his position, demonstrating the staying power of traditional industries like investment and insurance in an increasingly tech-driven economy.
Forbes noted that billionaire rankings were inherently volatile, often swayed by fluctuations in the stock market and major business developments. The latest rankings also highlighted the gender disparity in global wealth, as all ten individuals on the list are men.
