Elon Musk has reclaimed the top spot on Forbes’ 39th annual World’s Billionaires list, surpassing French luxury magnate Bernard Arnault. Forbes disclosed the rankings on Tuesday, revealing a record 3,028 billionaires worldwide—the highest since the list’s inception in 1987. Collectively, they hold an unprecedented $16.1 trillion in wealth.
Musk’s fortune surged 75% over the past year, reaching a record-breaking $342 billion, fueled by rising valuations of xAI, SpaceX, and a strong performance by Tesla stock. Despite a recent market dip, he remains the only individual to surpass the $300 billion wealth mark.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump also saw his net worth more than double to $5.1 billion, driven by gains from his Trump Media & Technology Group shares and recent crypto investments.
“It’s another record-breaking year for the world’s richest people, despite financial uncertainty and rising geopolitical tensions,” said Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes’ Senior Editor for Wealth.
Rounding out the top five billionaires on the list:
- Mark Zuckerberg – $216 billion (No. 2)
- Jeff Bezos – $215 billion (No. 3)
- Larry Ellison – $192 billion (No. 4)
- Bernard Arnault & Family – $178 billion (No. 5)
