The top 10 richest people in the world in 2024

In a society and era fueled by ambition and a drive for entrepreneurship, there is a distinguished set of individuals who have achieved unimaginable fortunes. These extraordinary leaders, who possess vision and innovation, have ascended to the highest echelons of success, elevating themselves to the exclusive ranks of the world’s wealthiest individuals.

And that’s no small feat.

After all, the net worth of the top 10 richest people surpasses the GDP of numerous nations. Today, their wealth is primarily concentrated in the technology, finance, and retail industries. The growing wealth disparity between them and the less privileged is a significant concern for people worldwide.

This article unveils the identities of the top 10 richest people globally, shedding light on their remarkable accomplishments, entrepreneurial aptitude, and profound influence on the global economy. This ranked list is sourced from Forbes.

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Disclaimer: Currency values mentioned in this article are accurate as of 11.09.2024 and are subject to fluctuation.

Top 10 richest people in the world

Name & Rank	Net Worth (in $ Billions)	Companies/ Source of Wealth	Country
#1 Elon Musk	$250.5	Tesla, SpaceX, X	United States
#2 Jeff Bezos	$198.0	Amazon,  Blue Origin, The Washington Post	United States
#3 Larry Ellison	$191.0	Oracle Corporation	United States
#4 Mark Zuckerberg	$174.9	Meta Platforms, Inc. (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp)	United States
#5 Bernard Arnault & family	$172.3	LVMH	France
#6 Warren Buffett	$144.3	Berkshire Hathaway	United States
#7 Bill Gates	$137.2	Microsoft	United States
#8 Larry Page	$124.6	Alphabet Inc.	United States
#9 Steve Ballmer	$121.9	Microsoft	United States
#10 Sergey Brin	$119.5	Alphabet Inc.	United States

Get to know the top 10 richest people in the world

1. Elon Musk

• Age: 53
• Residence:  Boca Chica, Texas
• Citizenship: US

Elon Musk is now the richest person and man in the world. He is the CEO of several prominent companies, including electric car manufacturer Tesla and space exploration company SpaceX. He currently possesses a 12.86 percent stake in Tesla. A significant portion of his wealth, around two-thirds, is tied to the success of Tesla. Musk made headlines in October 2022 when he purchased Twitter for $44 billion.

Musk, the world's richest person, led Tesla to its initial public offering in 2010. The company experienced significant growth in market capitalisation during 2020 and 2021, propelling Musk to the position of the world's top 10 richest people in September 2021. At its peak in November 2021, Musk's fortune reached an astounding $320 billion.

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2. Jeff Bezos

• Age: 60
  
• Residence: Medina, Washington
• Citizenship: US

Jeff Bezos, the second richest person in the world, decided to give up his role as CEO of the ecommerce powerhouse Amazon in July 2021, while still maintaining his position as chairman. During the same month, he embarked on a space voyage aboard a rocket developed by Blue Origin, a private space exploration company he established and generously funded with billions of dollars.

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3. Larry Ellison

• Age: 80
  
• Residence: Manalapan, Florida
  
• Citizenship: US

Larry Ellison co-founded the software firm Oracle in 1977 and held the position of its CEO until 2014. Currently, he assumes the company's executive chairman and Chief Technology Officer roles. In 2012, Ellison made headlines when he acquired the Hawaiian island of Lanai for a sum of $300 million.  Ellison also ventured into investments at Salesforce.com, NetSuite, Quark Biotechnology Inc. and Astex Pharmaceuticals.

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4. Mark Zuckerberg

• Age: 40
• Residence: Palo Alto, California
• Citizenship: US

Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms, started its flagship social media platform Facebook in 2004 when he was only 19. He was a computer science and psychology student at Harvard University. Facebook was created to match the names of students on campus with their photos. In 2006, Facebook opened to everyone at least 13 years old with a valid email address.

In May 2012, Zuckerberg took the company public, and by December 2016, he was ranked 10th on the Forbes list of The World's Most Powerful People. Currently, Zuckerberg owns about 13.68 percent of stake in Meta Platforms.

The 39-year-old techie is married to Priscilla Chan and is a father of three daughters. Together with his wife, he is spending $3 billion in an attempt to end, cure or manage all diseases by the year 2100.

5. Bernard Arnault & Family

• Age: 75
• Residence: Paris
• Citizenship: France

Bernard Arnault, the third richest person in the world, is the CEO and chairman at Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), the world's largest luxury goods company encompassing 75 renowned fashion and cosmetics brands. Notable names within its portfolio include Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Moet & Chandon, and Sephora. In January 2021, LVMH completed the acquisition of jeweller Tiffany & Co. for a staggering $15.8 billion.

Arnault's five children contribute to various sectors within the expansive LVMH empire. In January 2023, he appointed his daughter Delphine to lead Dior, the group's second-largest brand.

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6. Warren Buffett

• Age: 93
• Residence: Omaha, Nebraska
• Citizenship: US

Warren Buffett, widely recognised as the "Oracle of Omaha," is one of history's most accomplished investors. He is the head of Berkshire Hathaway, an investment conglomerate with a diverse portfolio encompassing numerous companies,insurance provider Geico, battery manufacturer Duracell, Apple, Nu Holdings and restaurant chain Dairy Queen.

In 2010, Buffett and Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates established the Giving Pledge initiative, which urges billionaires to donate at least 50 percent of their wealth to charitable organisations. Demonstrating his unwavering philanthropic commitment, Buffett has expressed his intention to donate 99 percent of his fortune.

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7. Bill Gates

• Age: 68
• Residence: Medina, Washington
• Citizenship: US

In 1987, Forbes first recognised Gates as a billionaire. From 1995 to 2017, he maintained the title of the world's richest person, with brief exceptions in 2008 and from 2010 to 2013. In 2021, Gates and Melinda French Gates finalised their divorce, with Melinda receiving at least $6 billion in stocks as part of the settlement. After running Microsoft for 25 years, Gates turned his attention to philanthropic ventures. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation began working in India in 2003, and with its Avahan initiative for HIV prevention, it is estimated to have prevented 6,00,000 new infections.

8. Larry Page

• Age: 51
• Residence: Palo Alto, California
• Citizenship: US

Larry Page and his fellow Stanford PhD student Sergey Brin co-founded Google in 1998. Initially, Page held the position of CEO until 2001 and later resumed the role from 2011 to 2015.

He remains a member of the board of Alphabet, Google's parent company, and retains significant control over the company as a major shareholder. Additionally, Page played a vital role as a founding investor in Planetary Resources, a company that is planning to mine resources from asteroids and other planetary bodies.

9. Steve Ballmer

• Age: 68
• Residence: Hunts Point, Washington
• Citizenship: US

Steve Ballmer, a Harvard University classmate of Bill Gates, assumed the CEO role at Microsoft from 2000 to 2014. His journey with Microsoft began in 1980 when he joined as the company's 30th employee, having dropped out of the MBA at Stanford University.

In the same year that Ballmer retired from Microsoft, he made headlines by acquiring the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team for a staggering $2 billion, setting a new benchmark for the highest price paid for an NBA team at that time.

10. Sergey Brin

• Age: 50
• Residence: Los Altos, California
• Citizenship: US

Alongside his Stanford PhD colleague, Larry Page, Sergey Brin played a pivotal role in establishing the Google search engine in 1998. Originally from Russia, Brin initially held the position of technology president at Google and later transitioned to overseeing special projects, including the development of Google Glass, a wearable device featuring voice-activated "smart glasses." Currently, Brin serves as a board member of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, while retaining a significant controlling stake in the company.

Frequently asked questions

1. What is the global count of billionaires in 2024?

Forbes reports that as of April 2, 2024, the number of billionaires has reached 2,781,141 more than last year, and they are worth $14.2 trillion in aggregate.

2. Is it possible for billionaires' net worth to fluctuate

Absolutely, given that a significant portion of their wealth is tied to publicly traded stocks, the net worth of the wealthiest individuals can fluctuate per market valuation.

3. Which nation boasts the highest number of billionaires?

According to Forbes World’s Billionaires List 2024, the US has a record 813 billionaires, followed by China with 473 billionaires and India in the third spot with 200 billionaires.