As a financial analyst who’s spent years tracking the ebb and flow of global wealth, I find myself once again marveling at the staggering fortunes amassed by the world’s elite. The year 2024 has brought some fascinating shifts in the landscape of extreme wealth, and I’m excited to dive into the details of who’s on top and why.
Based on data from the Real-Time Billionaires List, we’ll explore the top 10 richest people in the world for 2024. These individuals aren’t just wealthy beyond imagination; they’re the architects of companies and innovations that shape our daily lives. From tech titans to luxury goods moguls, each person on this list has a unique story of how they built their empire.
1. Elon Musk – $274.7 billion
Elon Musk, the South African-born entrepreneur, has solidified his position as the world’s wealthiest individual with a staggering net worth of $274.7 billion. Musk’s fortune stems primarily from his leadership roles in multiple groundbreaking companies. As the CEO of Tesla, the electric vehicle and clean energy company, Musk has revolutionized the automotive industry and pushed for sustainable transportation solutions. His stake in SpaceX, the private space exploration company, has also contributed significantly to his wealth as the firm continues to make advancements in space technology and commercial space travel.
Musk’s entrepreneurial journey began with his involvement in Zip2 and later PayPal, which was sold to eBay in 2002. Since then, he has been at the forefront of innovation, leading ventures such as Neuralink, which aims to develop brain-computer interfaces, and The Boring Company, which focuses on tunnel construction and infrastructure. In 2022, Musk acquired Twitter (now X) for $44 billion, adding another high-profile company to his portfolio. Despite controversies and market fluctuations, Musk’s net worth has continued to grow, cementing his status as a visionary entrepreneur and the richest person in the world.
2. Larry Ellison – $211.7 billion
According to the Real-Time Billionaires List, Larry Ellison, the co-founder and chairman of Oracle Corporation, holds the second spot on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $211.7 billion. Ellison’s journey to becoming one of the richest people in the world began when he co-founded Oracle in 1977. Under his leadership, Oracle grew to dominate the database software market, becoming one of the largest and most influential technology companies globally.
Born in New York City and raised in Chicago, Ellison’s early life was marked by challenges, including being adopted and dropping out of college. However, his passion for technology and entrepreneurship led him to California, where he worked as a programmer before co-founding the company that would become Oracle. Ellison’s wealth has seen significant growth in recent years, largely due to Oracle’s strong performance in the artificial intelligence market and the company’s impressive stock surge. His strategic focus on AI and cloud computing has resonated with investors, driving up Oracle’s stock price and, consequently, Ellison’s net worth.
3. Jeff Bezos – $205.6 billion
Jeff Bezos, the founder and former CEO of Amazon, ranks third on the list of the world’s richest people with a net worth of $205.6 billion. Bezos’s journey to immense wealth began with the founding of Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore. Under his leadership, Amazon grew into a global e-commerce giant, diversifying into cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital streaming.
Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bezos showed an early interest in technology and entrepreneurship. After graduating from Princeton University, he worked on Wall Street before leaving to start Amazon. Bezos’s vision of creating an “everything store” has come to fruition, with Amazon becoming one of the most valuable companies in the world. In addition to his Amazon holdings, Bezos owns The Washington Post and Blue Origin, a space exploration company. Despite stepping down as Amazon’s CEO in 2021, Bezos remains a significant shareholder and continues to be one of the wealthiest individuals globally.
4. Mark Zuckerberg – $198.3 billion
Mark Zuckerberg, the co-founder and CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook), has solidified his position as one of the world’s wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $198.3 billion. Born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York, Zuckerberg showed an early aptitude for computer programming. He launched Facebook from his Harvard University dorm room in 2004, which would eventually grow into one of the most influential social media platforms globally.
Under Zuckerberg’s leadership, Facebook expanded its reach through strategic acquisitions, including Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014. In 2021, he rebranded the company as Meta Platforms, signaling a shift towards developing the “metaverse,” a virtual reality-based successor to the mobile internet. Despite facing numerous controversies related to privacy concerns and content moderation, Zuckerberg has continued to innovate and adapt the company’s strategies.
Zuckerberg’s wealth is primarily tied to his significant stake in Meta Platforms. He owns about 13% of the company’s shares, which has been the primary driver of his net worth fluctuations over the years. Beyond his business ventures, Zuckerberg, along with his wife Priscilla Chan, has pledged to give away 99% of their Meta shares over their lifetimes through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, focusing on personalized learning, curing diseases, and connecting people.
5. Bernard Arnault & family – $173.3 billion
Bernard Arnault, the French business magnate, investor, and art collector, stands as one of the world’s wealthiest individuals with a net worth of $173.3 billion. As the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), Arnault has built a luxury goods empire that includes some of the most prestigious brands in fashion, jewelry, and spirits.
Born on March 5, 1949, in Roubaix, France, Arnault began his career in his family’s construction business. In 1984, he acquired the textile company Boussac, which owned Christian Dior, marking his entry into the luxury goods sector. Through a series of strategic acquisitions and mergers, Arnault transformed LVMH into the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate, with over 75 prestigious brands under its umbrella.
Arnault’s business acumen and vision for luxury brands have been key to LVMH’s success. He has a reputation for acquiring and revitalizing heritage brands while maintaining their exclusivity and craftsmanship. The Arnault family’s wealth is closely tied to their ownership stake in LVMH, with Bernard Arnault involving his five children in various leadership roles within the company, ensuring a family-driven approach to the business.
6. Warren Buffett – $143 billion
Warren Buffett, often referred to as the “Oracle of Omaha,” is one of the most successful investors in history, with a net worth of $143 billion. Born on August 30, 1930, in Omaha, Nebraska, Buffett displayed an exceptional aptitude for business and investing from a young age. He is the CEO and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, a conglomerate that owns a diverse portfolio of businesses and significant stakes in major public companies.
Buffett’s investment philosophy, centered on value investing, has earned him a reputation as one of the most respected figures in the financial world. He is known for his long-term approach to investing, focusing on companies with strong fundamentals and competitive advantages. Despite his immense wealth, Buffett is renowned for his frugal lifestyle, still living in the same house he purchased in Omaha in 1958 for $31,500.
A significant portion of Buffett’s wealth is tied to his ownership stake in Berkshire Hathaway, which he has led since 1965. Under his leadership, Berkshire has delivered exceptional returns to shareholders over decades. Buffett is also known for his philanthropy, having pledged to give away more than 99% of his wealth to charitable causes. He co-founded The Giving Pledge with Bill and Melinda Gates, encouraging other billionaires to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes.
7. Larry Page – $137.6 billion
Larry Page, co-founder of Google and former CEO of its parent company Alphabet, has amassed a fortune of $137.6 billion. Born in 1973 in East Lansing, Michigan, Page showed an early interest in computers and technology. He earned his bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from the University of Michigan and later pursued a Ph.D. at Stanford University, where he met Sergey Brin. Together, they developed the PageRank algorithm, which became the foundation for Google’s search engine.
Under Page’s leadership as CEO from 2011 to 2015, Google expanded beyond search into various technologies, including mobile operating systems (Android), cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Page’s wealth primarily stems from his significant stake in Alphabet, where he remains a board member and controlling shareholder. His forward-thinking approach and investments in moonshot projects like self-driving cars and life extension technologies have solidified his reputation as a visionary in the tech industry.
8. Sergey Brin – $131.7 billion
Sergey Brin, with a net worth of $131.7 billion, is the other half of the duo that founded Google. Born in Moscow in 1973, Brin immigrated to the United States with his family at the age of six. He met Larry Page while pursuing his Ph.D. in computer science at Stanford University, and together they created Google in 1998. Brin served as the president of technology at Google and later as the president of Alphabet until 2019.
Brin’s wealth, like Page’s, is largely derived from his stake in Alphabet. He has been instrumental in developing many of Google’s innovative products and has a particular interest in emerging technologies. Brin has invested in various ventures, including space exploration and synthetic meat companies. He is also known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in the areas of Parkinson’s disease research and refugee support.
9. Amancio Ortega – $131.7 billion
Amancio Ortega, the Spanish fashion tycoon, has built a retail empire that has earned him a net worth of $131.7 billion. Born in 1936 in Busdongo de Arbás, Spain, Ortega co-founded Inditex, the parent company of Zara, with his ex-wife Rosalía Mera in 1975. Starting as a small family shop making lingerie and bathrobes, Ortega transformed his business into the world’s largest fashion retailer.
Ortega’s success is attributed to his fast-fashion business model, which allows Zara to quickly produce and deliver trendy clothing to stores worldwide. Despite stepping down as chairman of Inditex in 2011, Ortega still owns about 59% of the company’s shares. He has diversified his wealth through substantial real estate investments in prime locations across major cities globally, further solidifying his position among the world’s wealthiest individuals.
10. Steve Ballmer – $125.8 billion
Steve Ballmer, with a net worth of $125.8 billion, is best known for his long tenure at Microsoft, where he served as CEO from 2000 to 2014. Born in 1956 in Detroit, Michigan, Ballmer met Bill Gates at Harvard University and joined Microsoft in 1980 as the company’s 30th employee and first business manager. Under his leadership, Microsoft’s annual revenue surged from $25 billion to $70 billion, and the company expanded its reach in enterprise software and gaming with the Xbox.
Ballmer’s wealth primarily comes from his 4% stake in Microsoft, making him the company’s largest individual shareholder. Since retiring from Microsoft, he has focused on philanthropic efforts and his ownership of the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team, which he purchased in 2014 for $2 billion. Ballmer’s energetic personality and business acumen have made him a notable figure in the tech industry, even after his departure from Microsoft’s day-to-day operations.
