Richest Individual on the Planet: Who Among Us Holds the Titanic Wealth Title?
The never-ending battle for the top spot in the richest person on the planet list keeps the crème de la crème of the billionaire world on their toes. The title-holder frequently changes, along with the combined wealth of the top 5 wealthiest individuals - currently a massive $1.06 trillion.
Amidst the financial turbulence caused by Trump's trade sanctions, the fortunes of the world's richest 500 individuals took a hit, with a combined loss of $208 billion on April 3, as reported by Bloomberg. This marked the fourth-largest single-day drop in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index and the most significant since the pandemic.
Poor ol' Bernard Arnault has been edged down the rich list, with the likes of Warren Buffett, Larry Ellison, and none other than Bill Gates pushing him aside.
Wanna know who's leading the pack? Here's the dirt on the top five wealthiest individuals, according to the current Bloomberg Billionaire Index. We shall delve deeper into the richest woman on the planet in a separate guide.
The Title Holder: Elon Musk
The one and only Elon Musk reigns supreme as the wealthiest human alive, with a whopping net worth of $326 billion, according to Bloomberg. Forbes places his riches at $380.9 billion.
You know him from his eventful endeavors in various tech businesses such as Tesla, SpaceX, and 'X', formerly known as Twitter. In 2022, he acquired a 9.2% stake in Twitter, putting him squarely in the driver's seat as the largest shareholder.
When Musk got into cahoots with Donald Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency, things took a sour turn. Since the White House stint, his net worth suffered quite a blow. According to CNBC, approximately $31 billion of his fortune vanished between April 3 and 4, as a consequence of a 6% S&P 500 downturn caused by Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs - the most significant decline since the pandemic.
As reported by Bloomberg, Musk has suffered a hefty $107 billion loss this very year. In addition, CNBC also reported that Tesla's stock tanked by 36% during the first quarter of 2025, causing a financial drain of over $460 billion in market capitalization for the company.
Get a comprehensive understanding of Elon Musk's net worth and take a peek behind the curtain to learn how he brought Tesla to life.
Second in Command: Jeff Bezos
With a net worth of $210 billion, Jeff Bezos ranks second on the wealth list. The man behind the Amazon empire set sail in 1994, seizing a lucrative opportunity in the e-commerce market, which he nurtured out of his garage. Today, the empire boasts a colossal market capitalization of $2.03 trillion.
Bezos isn't just the king of online marketplaces; he also owns The Washington Post, one of the United States' largest newspapers. Additionally, he has a stake in Blue Origin, a space exploration company he birthed in 2000. It is slated to launch singer Katy Perry and former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, among others, into the cosmos as a component of an all-female crew.
Curious about the factors that have contributed to Jeff Bezos' net worth? We've got the scoop for ya!
Third Placer: Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg steps onto the stage as the mastermind behind the world's most popular social media platforms - Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp. His net worth stands at $207 billion according to Bloomberg. Most of his wealth comes from acquisitions such as Instagram (purchased for $1 billion) and WhatsApp ($19 billion). Threads, a competitor to 'X', joined the family of social media networks.
In 2024, Zuckerberg's fortunes jumped by 70%, adding around $72 billion to his net worth, as per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. However, he took the brunt of Trump's tariffs, with Meta's share price plummeting by 9%, resulting in a $17.9 billion dent in the CEO's net worth.
Dive into the intricacies of how Facebook morphed into Meta, and learn more about Mark Zuckerberg's net worth.
Fourth: Warren Buffett
The venerable Warren Buffett now graces our list of the world's wealthiest, thanks to his strategic investment approach. Buffett's net worth currently stands at $162 billion, a Nearly $20 billion increase this year. The Berkshire Hathaway CEO and largest shareholder is best known for his remarkable investment style and for finding undervalued companies with a solid foundation. As a result, some of his biggest investments include Apple, Coca-Cola, and American Express.
In 2025, shares in Berkshire Hathaway fell 8.8% since April 2, while the S&P 500 witnessed a 10.7% downturn, as per Bloomberg.
Fifth Spot: Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison takes the fifth place on our list, the architect behind one of the world's largest software companies - Oracle, which he established in 1977. When Ellison unveiled Oracle, it stole hearts and attention worldwide, thanks to its unparalleled speed and efficiency. It soon became a fierce competitor in the tech sector, challenging big names like Intel, Microsoft, and IBM.
Ellison currently controls around 42% of Oracle, making up over 1.1 billion shares for himself. His current net worth stands at $159 billion. According to Business Insider, the billionaire witnessed a gain of over $67 billion in 2024, pushing him ahead of Steve Ballmer and Bill Gates. However, the recent round of economic turbulence has dented his earnings by $32.7 billion this year.
- Although spurred by Trump's trade sanctions, the fortunes of the world's richest 500 individuals were reported to have experienced a combined loss of $208 billion due to financial turbulence, as reported by Bloomberg on April 3.
- Elon Musk, known for his involvement in tech businesses like Tesla, SpaceX, and Twitter, has become the wealthiest individual alive, with a net worth of $326 billion according to Bloomberg.
- CNBC reported that approximately $31 billion of Musk's fortune vanished between April 3 and 4, coinciding with a 6% S&P 500 downturn caused by Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs.
- Jeff Bezos, the man behind Amazon, currently ranks second on the wealth list with a net worth of $210 billion, and owns The Washington Post, one of the United States' largest newspapers.
- Larry Ellison, the architect behind Oracle, now occupies the fifth place on the wealth list with a net worth of $159 billion, and controls around 42% of Oracle, making up over 1.1 billion shares for himself.
