Elon Musk Ushers in 2025 as World’s Wealthiest Individual, First to Surpass $400 Billion Net Worth
Elon Musk has begun the new year cementing his position as the world’s richest person, becoming the first billionaire to cross the $400 billion milestone, according to Forbes’ latest report on Wednesday.
The Tesla CEO and SpaceX founder leads the global elite with a staggering fortune of $421.2 billion, topping a list of billionaires whose combined net worth reaches an impressive $1.9 trillion as of January 1, 2025.
The collective wealth of the top 10 richest individuals saw a rise from $1.8 trillion last month, underscoring the growing influence of tech, retail, and luxury goods magnates in shaping global markets.
New to the top tier is Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whose inclusion reflects the explosive growth of the semiconductor industry over the past year.
The Top 10 Billionaires as of January 1, 2025, According to Forbes:
1. Elon Musk
Net worth: $421.2 billion
Source: Tesla, SpaceX, X, xAI
Age: 53
Citizenship: U.S.
Musk’s fortune surged by $91 billion in December, buoyed by SpaceX’s valuation hitting $350 billion. His recent appointment as co-head of the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) by President Donald Trump further spotlighted his growing influence.
2. Jeff Bezos
Net worth: $233.5 billion
Source: Amazon
Age: 60
Citizenship: U.S.
Bezos reclaimed the second spot after Amazon shares gained 5% in December, boosting his fortune by $10 billion.
3. Larry Ellison
Net worth: $209.7 billion
Source: Oracle
Age: 80
Citizenship: U.S.
Despite losing $17 billion due to Oracle’s stock decline, Ellison remains firmly in the top three.
4. Mark Zuckerberg
Net worth: $202.5 billion
Source: Meta (Facebook)
Age: 40
Citizenship: U.S.
A 1.9% rise in Meta’s stock slightly increased Zuckerberg’s wealth last month.
5. Bernard Arnault
Net worth: $168.8 billion
Source: LVMH
Age: 75
Citizenship: France
The luxury goods titan saw his fortune grow by $8.5 billion, thanks to a rise in LVMH’s stock value.
6. Larry Page
Net worth: $157.9 billion
Source: Google (Alphabet)
Age: 51
Citizenship: U.S.
The Google co-founder continues to thrive on Alphabet’s enduring success.
7. Sergey Brin
Net worth: $153.4 billion
Source: Google (Alphabet)
Age: 50
Citizenship: U.S.
Alphabet’s dominance keeps Brin firmly in the billionaire rankings.
8. Warren Buffett
Net worth: $139.6 billion
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
Age: 94
Citizenship: U.S.
Buffett slipped from sixth to eighth after an $8.9 billion drop in his fortune, following a 6% decline in Berkshire Hathaway’s A shares.
9. Steve Ballmer
Net worth: $123.5 billion
Source: Microsoft
Age: 68
Citizenship: U.S.
The former Microsoft CEO saw a slight dip in his wealth, despite maintaining a net worth above $100 billion.
10. Jensen Huang
Net worth: $118 billion
Source: Nvidia
Age: 61
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