The Top 10 Wealthiest People on the Planet

The Top 10 Wealthiest People on the Planet

Money makes the world go round, and some people have mountains of it! The ultra-wealthy influence everything from technology to fashion, space exploration to sports teams. Ever wonder who has the most cash in their virtual vaults? Let’s count down the ten richest people on Earth and see who’s sitting on the biggest pile of money in 2025.

1. Elon Musk

The maverick entrepreneur worth approximately $342 billion has recaptured the #1 spot on the global wealth rankings. As CEO of multiple groundbreaking companies including Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, Musk continues pushing boundaries in electric vehicles, space exploration, and artificial intelligence.

His fortune fluctuates dramatically with Tesla stock prices, but his diversified empire now includes social media platform X (formerly Twitter). A polarizing figure known for controversial statements and ambitious goals, Musk maintains his dream of making humans a multi-planetary species.

2. Mark Zuckerberg

From dorm room coder to tech mogul worth $216 billion, Zuckerberg’s ascent to the #2 position showcases his remarkable business transformation. Meta’s founder successfully pivoted from Facebook’s social media roots into the metaverse and artificial intelligence, rebounding from earlier setbacks.

His personal wealth skyrocketed as Meta’s stock surged following strategic AI investments. Zuckerberg’s intensive physical training regimen and competitive nature have become almost as famous as his business acumen. His renewed focus on innovation has silenced critics who once questioned his ability to adapt.

3. Jeff Bezos

Starting Amazon from his garage in 1994, Bezos transformed online shopping forever and built a fortune now valued at $215 billion. Though he stepped down as CEO in 2021, his wealth continues growing through Amazon stock and ventures like Blue Origin, his space exploration company.

Bezos enjoys a lavish lifestyle with multiple mansions, a $500 million yacht, and significant media holdings including The Washington Post. His distinctive laugh and bald head have become instantly recognizable worldwide. Despite sitting at third place, the gap between him and Zuckerberg remains razor-thin.

4. Larry Ellison

The Oracle co-founder’s remarkable surge to fourth place with $192 billion demonstrates how tech pioneers can reinvent themselves decades later. Ellison’s cloud computing investments and strategic AI partnerships have supercharged Oracle’s stock performance, dramatically increasing his personal fortune.

A sailing enthusiast who owns 98% of Hawaii’s Lanai island, Ellison combines technical brilliance with marketing savvy. His close friendship with Elon Musk resulted in Oracle’s board position at Tesla and valuable cross-company collaborations.

At 80+ years old, Ellison remains actively involved in Oracle’s strategic decisions, proving age is just a number in tech leadership.

5. Bernard Arnault

The only European in our top five, Arnault oversees a $178 billion fortune as chairman of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods conglomerate. His empire spans iconic brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Tiffany & Co., catering to wealthy consumers worldwide.

Unlike tech billionaires, Arnault built his wealth through traditional retail, proving luxury never goes out of style. A passionate art collector, he’s transformed Paris with the stunning Louis Vuitton Foundation museum.

Arnault involves his five children in various LVMH businesses, carefully preparing the next generation to inherit his luxury kingdom while maintaining the group’s prestige and exclusivity.

6. Warren Buffett

At 94, the legendary investor commands a $154 billion fortune through his Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate, proving good investing knows no age limit. Famous for his frugal lifestyle—still living in the same house he bought in 1958—Buffett’s simple investment philosophy focuses on value and long-term thinking.

His annual shareholder meetings attract thousands of devoted followers seeking wisdom. Despite his advanced age, Buffett maintains his sharp mind and trademark humor, though he’s gradually passing responsibilities to successors.

The world’s most famous investor plans to donate over 99% of his wealth to charitable causes, primarily through the Gates Foundation.

7. Larry Page

Google’s co-founder maintains a $144 billion fortune while keeping an intentionally low public profile. Page’s wealth stems primarily from his Alphabet shares, though he stepped away from day-to-day operations years ago to focus on moonshot projects and personal interests.

A passionate aviation enthusiast, Page has invested heavily in flying car startups and other futuristic transportation concepts. His analytical mind and long-term vision helped transform Google from a simple search engine into one of history’s most valuable companies.

Though rarely seen in public these days, Page’s technological legacy touches billions of lives daily through Google’s ubiquitous services.

8. Sergey Brin

With $138 billion, Google’s other co-founder closely follows his business partner on the wealth rankings. Born in Moscow before immigrating to the US as a child, Brin’s mathematical genius helped create the PageRank algorithm that revolutionized information retrieval and built Google’s foundation.

More outgoing than Page, Brin has championed Google’s more experimental projects, including Google Glass and the company’s health initiatives. His passion for extreme sports—from skydiving to trapeze—reflects his willingness to take calculated risks.

Though no longer involved in daily operations, Brin remains on Alphabet’s board, influencing the company’s long-term direction.

9. Amancio Ortega

The Spanish retail tycoon worth $124 billion proves you don’t need a tech company to join the ultra-wealthy club. Ortega built Zara and its parent company Inditex from scratch, revolutionizing fashion retail with the “fast fashion” model that quickly responds to changing trends.

Despite his enormous wealth, Ortega maintains a notoriously private lifestyle, rarely giving interviews and avoiding public appearances. The son of a railway worker, he left school at 14 and started as a shop assistant before creating his retail empire.

Ortega’s massive real estate portfolio includes prime properties in major cities worldwide, providing substantial income beyond his fashion holdings.

10. Steve Ballmer

Rounding out our top 10 with $118 billion, Microsoft’s former CEO has transformed from tech executive to passionate sports owner. Famous for his enthusiastic presentations during his Microsoft days, Ballmer now channels that energy courtside as owner of the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers.

His wealth continues growing thanks to his substantial Microsoft shareholdings acquired during his 34-year career at the company. Ballmer’s $2 billion purchase of the Clippers in 2014 seemed expensive then but looks like a bargain today as sports franchise values skyrocket.

Through his Ballmer Group, he’s committed billions to improving economic mobility for American families.