The list of all lists is back. Business magazine Forbes has once again published its annual ranking of the world's richest people, with a remarkably large group of newcomers. At the same time, several well-known tech billionaires remain firmly at the top. See below for who's calling the shots in this year's global billionaires' club.
The latest edition of the Forbes list, now in its 40th year, shows how rapidly the world's wealthiest people continue to grow. In just one year, approximately 400 new billionaires were added. At the same time, their combined wealth also increased significantly: together they now own approximately $20,1 trillion (€18,5 trillion), about $4 trillion (€3,7 trillion) more than a year ago.
A significant portion of that growth comes from the technology sector, particularly artificial intelligence. Companies that invest heavily in AI, cloud technology, and digital infrastructure have seen their stock market value rise significantly. This directly translates into greater wealth for the founders and major shareholders behind these companies.
It's also striking how strongly wealth is concentrated at the very top. There are now twenty people on earth with a net worth of over $100 billion (approximately €92 billion). This group is growing steadily and has become an exclusive club within the already select circle of billionaires.
The United States remains the center of this enormous wealth. With 989 billionaires, it has by far the most billionaires, together holding approximately $8,4 trillion (€7,7 trillion) in wealth. China (including Hong Kong) follows with 610 billionaires, while India, with 229, holds a distant third place.
Among all the tech entrepreneurs and investors there are also some notable names other sectors. Stars like Beyoncé, Dr. Dre, and tennis legend Roger Federer also appear on the list, thanks to their successful ventures outside of music and sports. And even politics is not left out: Donald Trump is in 645th place with a net worth of approximately $6,5 billion (€6 billion), thanks in part to profits from cryptocurrency investments.
These are the 5 wealthiest people in the world in 2026
1. Elon Musk | $839 billion (€772 billion)
Elon Musk remains by far the world’s wealthiest person. The entrepreneur behind Tesla, SpaceX, X, and AI company xAI saw his fortune grow dramatically over the past year. At almost $839 billion (€772 billion), he even has the highest net worth Forbes has ever measured. If SpaceX actually goes public in 2026, his fortune could climb towards $1.000 trillion, a figure never before reached by a single person.
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2. Larry Page – $257 billion (€236 billion)
Google founder Larry Page is in second place. Although he's largely remained in the background for years, he's benefiting greatly from the enormous growth of AI and cloud technology within parent company Alphabet.
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3. Sergey Brin – $237 billion (€218 billion)
Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google, follows closely behind Page. He was known as the engineering force behind the company and even returned temporarily in recent years to accelerate the development of new AI technology within Google.
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4. Jeff Bezos – $224 billion (€206 billion)
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos remains a fixture at the top of the rankings. Besides the growth of Amazon Web Services, his space company Blue Origin is also playing an increasingly important role in his business empire.
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5. Mark Zuckerberg – $222 billion (€204 billion)
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg rounds out the top five. While the company once primarily attracted attention with its metaverse plans, AI and digital advertising are now driving strong financial results for the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
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