Forbes has released its 2025 Billionaires List, and the rankings are nothing short of extraordinary. The world’s richest people have seen their wealth skyrocket, with the combined net worth of the top tech moguls reaching a staggering $10 trillion. These billionaires have made their fortunes through innovation, smart investments, and bold moves in the business world.
Tech giants dominate the wealth rankings
Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jensen Huang have played a huge role in the massive surge in wealth. These names alone account for a significant chunk of the $1.5 trillion increase in the total net worth of the world’s wealthiest people. The rise of US tech stocks has been crucial to this boom, with major players like Larry Ellison, Jeff Bezos, Michael Dell, and Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin contributing to the growth. Together, these eight tech moguls are responsible for over $600 billion of the total increase in wealth.
The global wealth scene has seen a shift. The US now boasts 813 billionaires, setting a new record. China follows closely with 473 billionaires, while India claims third place with 200 billionaires.
Elon Musk: the richest person of 2025
At the top of the list is none other than Elon Musk. He’s kicked off 2025 with a net worth of $433.9 billion, making him the world’s richest person. Musk made history last year by being the first person to surpass $400 billion, thanks to SpaceX’s incredible valuation of $350 billion.
In just a short time, Musk has added $91 billion to his net worth. SpaceX is now the most valuable private company globally, and Musk continues to lead Tesla, X (formerly Twitter), xAI, and The Boring Company. His diversified investments have clearly paid off.
Mark Zuckerberg surpasses Larry Ellison
Mark Zuckerberg has made waves in 2025. The Meta founder has overtaken Oracle’s Larry Ellison to become the third wealthiest person in the world. Zuckerberg’s net worth surged by over 4%, reaching $217.7 billion, while Ellison’s slightly dropped to $209 billion.
This shift reflects the stock performances of their companies. Meta shares rose by 4%, reaching $630.20, while Oracle saw a slight dip of 0.3%, with shares falling to $165.78.
Jensen Huang breaks into the top 10
In another big move, Jensen Huang, the CEO and co-founder of Nvidia, has joined the ranks of the world’s top 10 wealthiest individuals. With a net worth of $118 billion, Huang has become a major player in the tech world.
Nvidia’s stock has soared by 171% in 2024, pushing the company’s market cap to $3.28 trillion, which is now higher than Microsoft’s, though still behind Apple. Huang’s impressive stake in Nvidia has cemented his position among the top billionaires, surpassing Spain’s Amancio Ortega, the founder of Zara, as Ortega’s shares have recently taken a hit.
The billionaire race continues
The wealth of the world’s billionaires shows no signs of slowing down. With tech stocks driving the rise of some of the richest individuals on the planet, 2025 is shaping up to be another year of impressive financial growth. From Musk’s dominance at the top to Huang’s breakthrough into the top 10, the global wealth landscape is evolving faster than ever.
The US continues to lead the billionaire race, but China and India are not far behind. With technology and innovation leading the way, the billionaires of tomorrow are likely to come from the same dynamic sectors that have made Musk, Zuckerberg, and others household names.
Stay tuned as the list continues to evolve, with more wealth being accumulated in the coming months. The billionaires are not just sitting pretty – they’re making moves that will shape the future of global business.
