Billionaires play an outsized function in shaping the international economy, politics, and philanthropy. Forbes places the range of billionaires in the world at 2,668 in 2022. The wealthiest amongst them belong to an even greater one-of-a-kind membership and wield nonetheless extra power. Many of these billionaires are founders of science giants, with plenty of their wealth nonetheless invested in the corporations they started.


They can, however, nevertheless borrow towards that wealth to keep away from selling stock, deferring (or removing for heirs) taxes on unrealized capital beneficial properties in the process. Multi-billionaires can additionally take benefit of a panoply of tax deductions to offset mentioned income, leaving some on this listing paying no profits tax in current years.


With so an awful lot of their wealth in publicly traded stocks, the internet well worth of the richest can fluctuate with market valuations. For example, Elon Musk, founder and CEO of Tesla Inc. (TSLA) and the richest man or woman in the world noticed his internet well worth surge in 2021 thanks to the extension in the share fee of Tesla (where he presently owns 17% of the company)—with Tesla shares rising almost 50% in 2021.


In contrast, Meta Platforms Inc. (FB) founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg fell out of the pinnacle 10 in February 2022, when Meta's share charge plunged after a disappointing salary report. Zuckerberg's internet well worth is down $40 billion in 2022.


Below are the 10 wealthiest human beings on the planet as of the equal date, in accordance with the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.


Key Takeaways


Elon Musk, the co-founder and CEO of Tesla, is the richest individual in the world with an internet well worth of $273 billion.

Behind Musk is the founder of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, with an estimated internet well worth of $188 billion.

Billionaires with the biggest will increase in their wealth in 2021 covered Musk, LVMH Chair and CEO Bernard Arnault, Google co-founder Larry Page, and L'Oreal inheritor Francoise Bettencourt Meyers.

Seven of the pinnacle 10 billionaires made their fortunes in technology, with Arnault, Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett, and Adani Group founder Gautam Adani the exceptions.


1. Elon Musk


Age: 50

Residence: Texas

Co-founder and CEO: Tesla

Net Worth: $273 billion

Tesla Ownership Stake: 17% ($187 billion)

Other Assets: Space Exploration Technologies ($40.3 billion non-public assets), $5.7 billion in cash

Elon Musk used to be born in South Africa and attended a college in Canada earlier than transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, the place he earned bachelor's levels in physics and economics. Two days after enrolling in a graduate physics software at Stanford University, Musk deferred attendance to launch Zip2, one of the earliest online navigation services. He reinvested a component of the proceeds from this startup to create X.com, the online fee device that was once bought by eBay Inc. (EBAY) and in the end grew to become PayPal Holdings Inc. (PYPL).

In 2004, Musk grew to become the main funder of Tesla Motors (now Tesla), which led to his modern role as CEO of the electric-powered car company.In addition to its line of electric-powered automobiles, Tesla additionally produces electricity storage devices, vehicle accessories, and, thru its acquisition of SolarCity in 2016, photovoltaic energy systems.Musk is additionally CEO and chief engineer of Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), a developer of house launch rockets.

In 2020, Tesla shares soared 740% to propel Musk to push Muck up the wealth rankings. In December 2020, Tesla joined the SP 500, turning into the greatest corporation added. In January 2021, Musk grew to become the richest individual in the world (a title he is held since).

In a Nov. 6, 2021 tweet, Musk requested his Twitter target market whether or not he ought to promote 10% of his Tesla stock, framing the trouble as a response to criticism of unrealized capital beneficial properties as a capacity of heading off taxes.He proceeded to promote shares really worth $16.4 billion over the rest of 2021.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, has mentioned in a media file that Musk paid no profits tax for 2018 to argue for the adoption of a wealth tax. "And if you opened your eyes for two seconds, you would recognize I will pay extra taxes than any American in records this year," Musk spoke back on Twitter.

Thanks to the surge in Tesla shares in 2021 and personal transactions boosting the stated valuation of SpaceX, Musk's lead in the world wealth rankings has endured growing. His internet is well worth hitting an excessive of $340 billion in November 2021. Musk's internet well worth has expanded by 60% over the final yr (as of Apr. 1, 2022).


2. Jeff Bezos


Age: 58

Residence: Washington

Founder and Executive Chair: Amazon (AMZN)

Net Worth: $188 billion

Amazon Ownership Stake: 10% ($163 billion)

Other Assets: Blue Origin ($9.15 billion personal business enterprise stake), The Washington Post ($250 million personal assets), and $15.6 billion in cash


In 1994, Jeff Bezos centered Amazon.com in storage in Seattle, rapidly after he resigned from the hedge fund large D.E. Shaw.He had at the beginning pitched the concept of an online bookstall to his former boss David E. Shaw, who wasn’t interested.

Though Amazon.com initially started promoting books, it has for the reason that morphed into a one-stop save for the whole lot beneath the solar and is arguably the world’s greatest retailer. Amazon's sample of regular diversification is evident in some of its surprising expansions, which encompass obtaining Whole Foods in 2017 and coming into the pharmacy enterprise the identical year.2021

Bezos owned a whole lot as 16% of Amazon in 2019 earlier than transferring 4% to former wife MacKenzie Scott as a section of the divorce proceedings. In 2020, Amazon’s share rate jumped 76% on the heightened demand for online purchasing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 5, 2021, Bezos stepped down as CEO of the e-commerce giant, turning into its govt chair.

Bezos at the start took Amazon public in 1997 and went on to come to be the first man considering Bill Gates in 1999 to obtain an internet really worth greater than $100 billion.Bezos’ different tasks encompass aerospace agency Blue Origin, The Washington Post (which he bought in 2013), and the 10,000-year clock—also recognized as the Long Now.

On July 20, 2021, Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk, and Dutch scholar Oliver Daemen achieved Blue Origin's first profitable crewed flight, attaining an altitude of extra than sixty-six miles earlier than touchdown safely. Bezos' wealth peaked at $211 billion in the identical month.


3. Bernard Arnault


Age: 73

Residence: Paris, France

CEO and Chair: LVMH (LVMUY)

Net Worth: $148 billion

Christian Dior Ownership Stake: 97.5% ($120 billion total)

Other Assets: Moelis & Company fairness ($22.6 billion public assets), Hermès fairness (undisclosed stake), and $10.7 billion in cash

French country-wide Bernard Arnault is the chair and CEO of LVMH, the world’s greatest luxurious items company. LVMH owns manufacturers inclusive of Louis Vuitton, Hennessey, Marc Jacobs, and Sephora.

Most of Arnault's wealth comes from his large stake in Christian Dior SE, the conserving enterprise that controls 41.3% of LVMH. His shares in Christian Dior SE, plus an extra 6.2% in LVMH, are held thru his family-owned preserving company, Groupe Familial Arnault.

An engineer by way of training, Arnault first confirmed his enterprise acumen whilst working for his father’s development firm, Ferret-Savinel, taking cost of the organization in 1971. He transformed Ferret-Savinel into an actual property business enterprise named Férinel Inc. in 1979.

Arnault remained in Férinel's chair for any other six years, till he received and reorganized luxurious items maker Financière Agache in 1984, finally promoting all its holdings differently than Christian Dior and Le Bon Marché. He used to be invited to make investments in LVMH in 1987 and grew to become the majority shareholder, chair of the board, and CEO of the enterprise two years later.


4. Bill Gates


Age: 66

Residence: Washington

Co-founder: Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)

Net Worth: $133 billion

Microsoft Ownership Stake: 1.3% ($31.9 billion)

Other Assets: Cascade Investment LLC ($59.2 billion public assets), $56.9 billion in cash

While attending Harvard University in 1975, Bill Gates went to work alongside his childhood buddy Paul Allen to enhance a new software program for the unique microcomputers. Following this project’s success, Gates dropped out of Harvard at some point in his junior 12 months and went on to observe Microsoft with Allen.

The greatest software program enterprise in the world, Microsoft additionally produces its line of non-public computers, publishes books via Microsoft Press, affords e-mail offerings thru its Exchange server, and sells video sport structures and related peripheral devices. Originally Microsoft's chief software program architect, Gates shifted to the function of board chair in 2008. He had joined Berkshire Hathaway’s board in 2004. He stepped down from each board on March 13, 2020.

Bill Gates has an awful lot of his internet really worth in Cascade Investment LLC. Cascade is a privately-held funding car that owns a range of shares inclusive of Canadian National Railway (CNR), Deere (DE), and Republic Services (RSG), as nicely as personal investments in actual property and energy.

In 2000, Gates' two philanthropic organizations—the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation—merged to create the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, nonetheless co-chaired by means of Gates and his ex-wife, Melinda French Gates. Through the foundation, they have spent billions to battle polio and malaria. The basis pledged $50 million in 2014 to assist the battle against Ebola.As of 2021, the basis had spent greater than $1.9 billion to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2010, alongside Warren Buffett, Bill Gates launched the Giving Pledge, a marketing campaign encouraging the rich to commit to donating most of their wealth to philanthropic causes. Bill and Melinda French Gates divorced on Aug. 2, 2021. With the divorce, roughly $5 billion in equities had been transferred to French Gates.


5. Warren Buffett


Age: 91

Residence: Nebraska

CEO: Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)

Net Worth: $127 billion

Berkshire Hathaway Ownership Stake: 16% ($126 billion)

Other Assets: $1.15 billion in cash


The most well-known residing cost investor, Warren Buffett filed his first tax return in 1944 at age 14, declaring salary from his boyhood paper route. He first sold shares in a fabric organization referred to as Berkshire Hathaway in 1962, turning into the majority shareholder via 1965. He extended the organisation to insurance plan and different investments in 1967. Now Berkshire Hathaway is a $705 billion-dollar market cap company, with a single share of inventory (Class A shares) buying and selling at greater than $527,760 as of April 1, 2022.


Widely acknowledged as the "Oracle of Omaha," Buffett is a buy-and-hold investor who constructed his fortune with the aid of obtaining undervalued companies.More recently, Berkshire Hathaway has invested in large, standard companies.Its portfolio of thoroughly owned subsidiaries consists of hobbies in insurance, power distribution, and railroads as properly as purchaser products.Buffett is a referred to Bitcoin skeptic.

Buffett has committed a good deal of his wealth to philanthropy. Between 2006 and 2020, he gave away $41 billion—mostly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and his children’s charities.Buffett launched the Giving Pledge alongside Bill Gates in 2010.

Buffett, ninety-one years old, nevertheless serves as CEO, however in 2021 he hinted at who may be his successor—Gregory Abel. Abel is the head of Berkshire’s non-insurance operations.


6. Larry Page


Age: 48

Residence: California

Co-founder and Board Member: Alphabet (GOOG)

Net Worth: $125 billion

Alphabet Ownership Stake: 6% ($109.6 billion total)

Other Assets: $14.9 billion in cash

Like quite a few tech billionaires on this list, Larry Page embarked on his route to repute and fortune in a university dorm room. While attending Stanford University in 1995, Page and his pal Sergey Brin got here up with the concept of enhancing web facts extraction. The duo devised a new search engine technological know-how they dubbed "Backrub," named after its potential to analyze "backing links." From there, Page and Brin went on to locate Google in 1998, with Page serving as CEO of the agency till 2001, and once more between 2011 and 2019.


Google is the dominant net search engine, accounting for extra than 92% of world search requests. In 2006, the organization bought YouTube, the pinnacle platform for user-submitted videos. After obtaining Android, Inc. in 2005, Google launched the Android cell telephone working device in 2008. Google reorganized in 2015, turning into a subsidiary of Alphabet, a keeping company.


Page was once amongst early buyers in Planetary Resources, an area exploration, and asteroid-mining company. Established in 2009, the corporation used to be received by way of blockchain company ConsenSys in 2018 amid funding problems.He has additionally proven activity in "flying car" companies, investing in each Kitty Hawk and Opener. Shares of Google soared nearly 50% in 2021, transferring Page and Brin up the billionaire list. Page's internet well worth went from simply beneath $52 billion in March 2020 to the modern $125 billion.


7. Sergey Brin


Age: 48

Residence: California

Co-founder and Board Member: Alphabet (GOOG)

Net Worth: $119 billion

Alphabet Ownership Stake: 6% ($104.4 billion total)

Other Assets: $15 billion in cash


Sergey Brin used to be born in Moscow, Russia, transferring to the U.S. with his household as a 6-year-old in 1979. After co-founding Google with Larry Page in 1998, Brin grew to be Google's president of science when Eric Schmidt took over as CEO in 2001. He held the identical publish at the Alphabet protecting enterprise after it used to be set up in 2015, stepping down in 2019 when Sundar Pichai took over as CEO.


In addition to its dominant net search engine, Google gives a suite of online equipment and offerings recognized as Google Workspace, which consists of Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Google Chat, Google Docs, and Google Sheets, Google Slides, and more. Google additionally affords a range of digital devices, together with Pixel smartphones, computers, and tablets, Nest clever domestic devices, and the Stadia gaming platform.


Brin spent a lot of 2019 focusing on X, Alphabet’s lookup laboratory accountable for revolutionary applied sciences like Waymo self-driving motors and Google Glass clever glasses. He has additionally donated thousands and thousands of greenbacks to Parkinson’s ailment research, partnering with The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Brin's wealth has grown with the aid of over 25% in the closing year.


8. Steve Ballmer


Age: 66

Residence: Washington

Owner: Los Angeles Clippers

Net Worth: $108 billion

Microsoft Ownership Stake: 4% ($98.8 billion total)

Other Assets: Los Angeles Clippers ($3.16 billion personal assets), $5.93 billion in cash

Steve Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 after Bill Gates satisfied him to drop out of Stanford University's MBA program. He used to be Microsoft's thirtieth employee. Ballmer went on to be triumphant Gates as Microsoft CEO in 2000. He held the role till stepping down in 2014. Ballmer oversaw Microsoft's 2011 buy of Skype for $8.5 billion.

Ballmer owns an estimated 4% of Microsoft, making him the software program giant's greatest man or woman shareholder. In 2014, rapidly after stepping down as Microsoft CEO, Ballmer bought the Los Angeles Clippers basketball crew for $2 billion.

Ballmer lived in the equal dorm and on the equal flooring as Bill Gates whilst the two attended Harvard University. The "brotherly" relationship between the two grew to become strained when Ballmer commenced pushing the tech enterprise into hardware, such as the Surface pill and the Windows cell phone, for the duration of his tenure as CEO.


9. Larry Ellison


Age: 77

Residence: Hawaii

Co-founder, Chair, and CTO: Oracle (ORCL)

Net Worth: $103 billion

Oracle Ownership Stake: 40% ($68.4 billion)

Other Assets: Tesla fairness ($16.3 billion public assets), $17.6 billion in money and actual estate

Larry Ellison used to be born in New York City to a 19-year-old single mother. After shedding out of the University of Chicago in 1966, Ellison moved to California and labored as a pc programmer. In 1973 he joined the electronics enterprise Ampex, the place he met future companions Ed Oates and Bob Miner. Three years later, Ellison moved to Precision Instruments, serving as the company’s vice president of lookup and development.


In 1977, Ellison headquartered Software Development Laboratories (SDL) alongside Oates and Miner. Two years later, the enterprise launched Oracle, the first business relational database application to use Structured Query Language.The database software proved so famous that SDL would alternate its identity to Oracle Systems Corporation in 1982. Ellison gave up the CEO function at Oracle in 2014 after 37 years. He joined Tesla's board in December 2018.


Oracle is the world's second-largest software program company, supplying a large variety of cloud computing applications as nicely as Java and Linux code and the Oracle Exadata computing platform. Oracle has received several massive companies, together with human assets administration structures company PeopleSoft in 2005, consumer relationship administration functions company Siebel in 2006, corporation infrastructure software program company BEA Systems in 2008, and hardware-and-software developer Sun Microsystems in 2009.In December 2021, Oracle agreed to purchase clinical data software program issuer Cerner Corp. (CERN) for $28.3 billion in cash.

Ellison, lengthy regarded for extravagant spending, has invested closely in the luxurious actual property over the ultimate decade. Perhaps his single most staggering acquisition was once the $300 million buy of almost the whole Hawaiian island of Lanai in 2012, the place the billionaire has lived due to the fact 2020.81 Ellison has constructed a hydroponics farm and a luxurious spa on the island.


Ellison has targeted his philanthropy on scientific research. In 2016, he gave $200 million to the University of Southern California for a new most cancers lookup center. Ellison backed the Oracle Team USA cruising team, which received America's Cup racing collection in 2010 and 2013.


10. Gautam Adani


Age: 59

Residence: Gurgaon, India

Founder and Chair: Adani Group

Net Worth: $100 billion

Adani Enterprises, Power. and Transmissions Ownership Stakes: 75% every ($51.3 billion)

Other Assets: 65% of Adani Green Energy ($23.4 billion public assets), 61% of Adani Green Energy ($24.3 billion public assets), 37% of Adani Total Gas ($12.2 billion public assets)

Gautam Adani, the founder of Adani Group, surpassed Mukesh Ambani in March 2022 as the richest character in Asia. Adani, by using his possession of Adani Group, owns the foremost stakes in six key Indian companies, which include a 75% stake in Adani Enterprises, Adani Power, and Adani Transmissions, as nicely as a 65% stake in Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone, 61% stake in Adani Green Energy, and 37% stake in Adani Total Gas.

The blended market cap of corporations owned with the aid of the Adani Group is $179 billion (as of Apr. 1, 2022). Adani entered the strength-era market in 2009 with Adani Power. Adani created Adani Enterprises in 1988 to import and export commodities. In 1994, his agency was once granted approval to increase a harbor facility at Mundra Port, which is now the biggest personal port in India.


Adani dropped out of university and formerly labored in the diamond trade. Now, Adani has the greatest port operator, closely-held thermal coal producer, and coal dealer in India. In 2020, he bought a 74% stake in the second-busiest airport in India, Mumbai International Airport. The billionaire used to be kidnapped and held for ransom in 1997. Adani was once additionally in Mumbai’s Taj motel at some point during the 2008 terrorist attack.


The Bottom Line

If you favor getting a little nearer to making the richest billionaires rankings, you would possibly want to grow to be a technological innovator or luxurious retail mastermind. Or you should maintain it easy and center of attention on price investing. It additionally wouldn’t harm to have been born to wealth. However, the best fortunes on this listing commenced as true thoughts that humans with creativity, drive, and connections used to construct some of the world's biggest companies.