Richest People in the World in 2025: Elon Musk is the richest person in the world with a net worth of $393.2 billion as of January 2025, primarily from his ownership of Tesla and SpaceX, making him the wealthiest individual in modern history according to Forbes real-time billionaires list.
List of The World’s Top 10 Richest People (As of January 2025)
| Rank | Name | Net Worth | Source | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $393.2B | Tesla, SpaceX | United States |
| 2 | Jeff Bezos | $239.4B | Amazon | United States |
| 3 | Mark Zuckerberg | $211.8B | Facebook/Meta | United States |
| 4 | Larry Ellison | $204.6B | Oracle | United States |
| 5 | Bernard Arnault | $180.7B | LVMH | France |
| 6 | Larry Page | $161.4B | United States | |
| 7 | Sergey Brin | $154.0B | United States | |
| 8 | Warren Buffett | $146.2B | Berkshire Hathaway | United States |
| 9 | Steve Ballmer | $126.0B | Microsoft | United States |
| 10 | Jensen Huang | $120.2B | NVIDIA | United States |
Richest People in the World in 2025
Below is the list of the Richest Persons in the World in 2025:
1. Elon Musk
The current wealthiest person globally, Elon Musk leads with a net worth of $393.2 billion. Born in Pretoria, South Africa, in 1971, Musk displayed entrepreneurial aptitude early, creating and selling a video game at age 12. His education includes degrees in economics and physics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Musk’s wealth stems primarily from Tesla and SpaceX. As CEO of Tesla, he transformed the electric vehicle industry while simultaneously revolutionizing space travel through SpaceX. His acquisition of Twitter (now X) for $44 billion in 2022 marked another significant business move.
Recent developments include his appointment to lead the Department of Government Efficiency in the upcoming Trump administration, announced in 2024. His companies continue expanding, with SpaceX’s Starlink network reaching over 6,000 satellites and Tesla delivering the long-awaited Cybertruck in late 2023.
2. Jeff Bezos
Amazon’s founder maintains a net worth of $239.4 billion. Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1964, Bezos graduated from Princeton University before working on Wall Street. He founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore, operating from his garage in Seattle.
Under his leadership, Amazon transformed from a book retailer into the world’s largest e-commerce platform. The company’s success extends beyond retail through Amazon Web Services (AWS), which generates substantial operating income.
Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021 but remains executive chairman. His other ventures include Blue Origin, his space exploration company, and ownership of The Washington Post. Recent controversy surrounds The Post’s decision not to endorse a presidential candidate in 2024.
3. Mark Zuckerberg
The Meta CEO’s net worth reaches $211.8 billion. Born in White Plains, New York, in 1984, Zuckerberg developed Facebook from his Harvard dormitory in 2004. His early programming skills manifested during his education at Phillips Exeter Academy.
Under his leadership, Facebook expanded into Meta Platforms, incorporating Instagram, WhatsApp, and virtual reality technologies. The company’s rebranding to Meta in 2021 signaled its focus on developing the metaverse. Zuckerberg maintains majority voting control through his ownership structure.
His philanthropic efforts include the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, established with his wife Priscilla Chan, focusing on science, education, and community development. The couple pledged 99% of their Facebook shares to charitable causes.
4 Larry Ellison
Oracle’s co-founder holds $204.6 billion in net worth. Born in New York City in 1944, Ellison’s early life included adoption by his aunt and uncle. After dropping out of the University of Chicago, he moved to California, where his tech career began.
Ellison co-founded Oracle in 1977, building it into the leading enterprise software company. His business strategy included aggressive acquisitions, notably PeopleSoft, Siebel, and Sun Microsystems. Beyond Oracle, he owns 98% of Hawaii’s Lanai island and maintains significant investments in Tesla.
5. Bernard Arnault
The French luxury goods magnate controls $180.7 billion through LVMH. Born in Roubaix, France, in 1949, Arnault graduated from École Polytechnique. His business career began in his father’s construction company before entering luxury goods.
LVMH, under his leadership, acquired numerous prestigious brands including Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co. The 2021 Tiffany acquisition, at $15.8 billion, marked the largest luxury brand purchase in history.
6&7. Larry Page & Sergey Brin
The Google co-founders possess $161.4 billion and $154.0 billion respectively. Their partnership began at Stanford University’s computer science program, where they developed the PageRank algorithm that powers Google’s search engine.
Both stepped back from daily operations in 2019 but remain board members and controlling shareholders. Their wealth continues growing through Alphabet’s dominance in search, advertising, and various technology ventures.
8. Warren Buffett
The “Oracle of Omaha” maintains $146.2 billion in net worth. Born in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1930, Buffett displayed financial acumen early, filing his first tax return at age 14. His education includes studies under Benjamin Graham at Columbia University.
Berkshire Hathaway, under Buffett’s leadership, transformed from a struggling textile manufacturer into a massive conglomerate. His investment portfolio includes significant stakes in Apple, Coca-Cola, and Bank of America.
9. Steve Ballmer
The former Microsoft CEO and current LA Clippers owner holds $126.0 billion. Born in Detroit in 1956, Ballmer graduated from Harvard University where he met Bill Gates. His tenure at Microsoft began in 1980 as the company’s first business manager.
During his leadership as Microsoft CEO (2000-2014), the company expanded beyond operating systems into gaming (Xbox), search (Bing), and cloud computing. His $2 billion purchase of the LA Clippers in 2014 marked a significant post-Microsoft venture.
10. Jensen Huang
NVIDIA’s co-founder commands $120.2 billion in net worth. Born in Taiwan in 1963, Huang moved to the United States as a child. His education includes degrees from Oregon State University and Stanford University.
Huang co-founded NVIDIA in 1993 with $40,000 in capital. The company revolutionized computing through its graphics processing units (GPUs). Under his leadership, NVIDIA transformed from a gaming-focused company into a crucial player in artificial intelligence and data centers.
Latest Industry Developments
The technology sector dominates wealth creation among these billionaires. AI advancement particularly benefits Huang’s NVIDIA and Microsoft’s cloud computing. Sustainability initiatives gain prominence, with Bezos’s climate fund and Zuckerberg’s renewable energy investments at Meta’s data centers. The luxury sector, led by Arnault’s LVMH, shows resilience through global market fluctuations, while tech companies navigate increasing regulatory scrutiny and AI advancement opportunities.
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