(AFP) — The world’s billionaire class has expanded to unprecedented levels in 2026, with Elon Musk once again ranking as the richest person on the planet, according to the latest global wealth ranking compiled by Forbes.
The financial publication unveiled its 40th annual World’s Billionaires list on March 10, documenting a historic rise in global fortunes driven largely by surging technology stocks and investment gains tied to artificial intelligence.
Forbes determined that 3,428 people worldwide now qualify as billionaires, the highest number recorded since the list began in 1987. That total represents an increase of roughly 400 additional billionaires compared with 2025, reflecting a year of explosive wealth growth.
Combined, the world’s richest individuals now control an estimated $20.1 trillion, a dramatic increase of about $4 trillion compared with last year’s total.
The rankings are calculated using stock market valuations and currency exchange rates as of March 1, Forbes noted in its methodology.
Musk extends historic lead
At the top of the list is Musk, whose fortune has reached an estimated $839 billion, making him the richest individual ever recorded in the history of the ranking.
The entrepreneur — who leads electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla and aerospace company SpaceX — saw his wealth increase by roughly $497 billion over the past year.
The dramatic jump was fueled by the continued rise in Tesla’s stock price and the rapidly growing valuation of SpaceX, which analysts expect could go public in 2026.
Forbes editors said Musk has become the first person ever documented to surpass $800 billion in personal wealth, placing him within reach of a milestone once considered purely theoretical — becoming the world’s first trillionaire.
Chase Peterson-Withorn, a senior editor covering wealth at Forbes, said the latest ranking reflects extraordinary economic momentum among the ultra-wealthy.
“It’s the year of the billionaire,” Peterson-Withorn said, explaining that the global economy produced more than one new billionaire every day over the past year, largely driven by technology and AI-related investment gains.
Tech leaders dominate top ranks
The billionaire ranking continues to be dominated by technology founders and investors whose companies transformed the digital economy over the past three decades.
Google cofounder Larry Page occupies the No. 2 position, with an estimated fortune of $257 billion.
His longtime business partner Sergey Brin follows closely behind in third place, with a net worth estimated at $237 billion.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ranks fourth, holding roughly $224 billion, while Mark Zuckerberg completes the top five with about $222 billion.
The technology sector’s strong representation near the top of the list highlights the immense financial impact of the digital economy, particularly companies involved in artificial intelligence, cloud computing and social media platforms.
United States leads global billionaire count
The United States continues to dominate the global billionaire landscape.
Forbes counted 989 billionaires living in the United States, more than any other country in the world and the highest national total ever recorded.
Other countries with large concentrations of billionaires include China, India, Germany and France.
Meanwhile, the 2026 ranking also introduced 390 newcomers who reached billionaire status for the first time.
Among the high-profile additions were entertainment figures such as Dr. Dre, global pop icon Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, and tennis legend Roger Federer.
Their inclusion highlights how wealth creation increasingly extends beyond traditional industries like finance and manufacturing into entertainment, sports and media.
President Donald Trump’s wealth rises
The ranking also included Donald Trump, whose net worth climbed to an estimated $6.5 billion, according to Forbes.
Trump’s fortune rose about 27% compared with the previous year, with the increase attributed largely to cryptocurrency investments and the dismissal of a major fraud penalty in New York.
Despite the increase, Trump ranks No. 645 globally on the list.
Global fortunes soar to historic levels
The unprecedented wealth surge captured in the 2026 ranking reflects major shifts in the global economy.
Technology companies tied to artificial intelligence and semiconductor manufacturing experienced major stock gains during the past year, significantly boosting the fortunes of founders and investors.
Meanwhile, sectors such as luxury goods, finance and cryptocurrency trading also produced new billionaires.
AFP noted that the scale of wealth growth recorded in the latest list is unmatched in the four-decade history of the ranking.
Analysis: The widening gap between the ultra-rich and the rest of the world
While the billionaire boom reflects extraordinary wealth creation, it also highlights the growing concentration of global economic power in the hands of a relatively small group of individuals.
The combined $20.1 trillion held by billionaires now rivals the annual economic output of some of the world’s largest national economies.
Economists say several forces are driving this phenomenon.
First, financial markets have become increasingly dependent on high-growth technology companies, whose valuations can surge dramatically in short periods.
Second, global capital markets allow founders to maintain large ownership stakes even after companies become publicly traded, enabling massive personal fortunes to accumulate as share prices climb.
Finally, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence and advanced computing has created entirely new industries almost overnight.
These trends have made technology entrepreneurs some of the richest individuals in modern history.
At the same time, critics argue that the growing wealth gap could intensify political debates over taxation, corporate power and economic inequality.
Governments around the world have already begun exploring policies such as wealth taxes and stronger regulation of digital monopolies.
How those debates unfold could influence the next generation of billionaire fortunes.
Forbes and its global influence
For more than a century, Forbes has been one of the world’s most recognizable business media brands, documenting the achievements of entrepreneurs, executives and investors.
The company now reaches more than 140 million readers each month worldwide, according to its own figures, through digital platforms, print publications and international editions in dozens of countries.
Its annual billionaire ranking remains one of the most widely cited measures of global wealth.
Top 50 Richest People in the World – Forbes 2026 Billionaires List
- Elon Musk — $839B — Age 54 — United States — Tesla, SpaceX
- Larry Page — $257B — Age 52 — United States — Google
- Sergey Brin — $237B — Age 52 — United States — Google
- Jeff Bezos — $224B — Age 62 — United States — Amazon
- Mark Zuckerberg — $222B — Age 41 — United States — Facebook
- Larry Ellison — $190B — Age 81 — United States — Oracle
- Bernard Arnault & family — $171B — Age 77 — France — LVMH
- Jensen Huang — $154B — Age 63 — United States — Semiconductors
- Warren Buffett — $149B — Age 95 — United States — Berkshire Hathaway
- Amancio Ortega — $148B — Age 89 — Spain — Zara
- Rob Walton & family — $146B — Age 81 — United States — Walmart
- Jim Walton & family — $143B — Age 77 — United States — Walmart
- Michael Dell — $141B — Age 61 — United States — Dell Technologies
- Alice Walton — $134B — Age 76 — United States — Walmart
- Steve Ballmer — $126B — Age 69 — United States — Microsoft
- Carlos Slim Helu & family — $125B — Age 86 — Mexico — Telecom
- Changpeng Zhao — $110B — Age 49 — Canada — Cryptocurrency exchange
- Michael Bloomberg — $109B — Age 84 — United States — Bloomberg LP
- Bill Gates — $108B — Age 70 — United States — Microsoft
- Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & family — $100B — Age 72 — France — L’Oréal
- Mukesh Ambani — $99.7B — Age 68 — India — Diversified
- Giancarlo Devasini — $89.3B — Age 61 — Italy — Cryptocurrency
- Thomas Peterffy — $82.9B — Age 81 — United States — Discount brokerage
- Julia Koch & family — $81.2B — Age 63 — United States — Koch Inc.
- Charles Koch & family — $73.8B — Age 90 — United States — Koch Inc.
- Zhang Yiming — $69.3B — Age 41 — China — TikTok
- Zhong Shanshan — $68.1B — Age 71 — China — Beverages, pharmaceuticals
- Jeff Yass — $67.4B — Age 67 — United States — Trading, investments
- Dieter Schwarz — $67.2B — Age 86 — Germany — Retail
- Germán Larrea Mota Velasco & family — $67.1B — Age 72 — Mexico — Mining
- Gautam Adani — $63.8B — Age 63 — India — Infrastructure, commodities
- Tadashi Yanai & family — $61.8B — Age 77 — Japan — Fashion retail
- Ma Huateng — $53.8B — Age 54 — China — Online games
- Robin Zeng — $53.2B — Age 57 — Hong Kong — Batteries
- Iris Fontbona & family — $52.6B — Age 83 — Chile — Mining
- Masayoshi Son — $51.5B — Age 68 — Japan — Telecom, investments
- Ken Griffin — $49.8B — Age 57 — United States — Hedge funds
- Jacqueline Mars — $49.1B — Age 86 — United States — Candy, pet food
- John Mars — $49.1B — Age 90 — United States — Candy, pet food
- Lukas Walton — $48.9B — Age 39 — United States — Walmart
- Giovanni Ferrero — $48.8B — Age 61 — Italy — Nutella, chocolates
- Li Ka-shing — $47B — Age 97 — Hong Kong — Diversified
- Mark Mateschitz — $45.8B — Age 33 — Austria — Red Bull
- Gianluigi Aponte — $44.5B — Age 85 — Switzerland — Shipping
- Rafaela Aponte-Diamant — $44.5B — Age 80 — Switzerland — Shipping
- Andrea Pignataro — $42.6B — Age 55 — Italy — Financial software
- Klaus-Michael Kuehne — $41.9B — Age 88 — Germany — Shipping
- Thomas Frist Jr. & family — $41.1B — Age 87 — United States — Hospitals
- Alain Wertheimer — $39.4B — Age 77 — France — Chanel
- Gerard Wertheimer — $39.4B — Age 75 — France — Chanel
For the complete ranking, Forbes directs readers to its full billionaire database at www.forbes.com/billionaires.
