More billionaires than ever according to Forbes Forbes' annual list shows that this year there have been more billionaires than ever before. The "Rich List" is the annual run-down of the biggest bankrolls on the planet and...

By Brian-Damien Morgan

This story originally appeared on Due

Forbes' annual list shows that this year there have been more billionaires than ever before. The "Rich List" is the annual run-down of the biggest bankrolls on the planet and this year there have been more faces entering the billionaire category in 2024.

The report states that the 2024 list is "richer than ever, worth $14.2 trillion in the aggregate, up by $2 trillion from 2023 and $1.1 trillion above the previous record, also set in 2021. Two-thirds of the list's members are worth more than a year ago; only one-fourth are poorer. Much of the gains come from the top 20, who added a combined $700 billion in wealth since 2023, and from the U.S., which now boasts a record 813 billionaires worth a combined $5.7 trillion."

Taylor Swift is one of those new faces after she broke the bank with her award-winning and record-selling Eras tour. She comes into the list with an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion.

Forbes Rich List

Bernard Arnault takes the top spot in the annual list and is hotly followed by billionaire philanthropist and owner of X, Elon Musk. The Top 10 are as follows:

  1. Bernard Arnault — $233bn: Oversees the LVMH empire of 75 fashion and cosmetics brands, including Louis Vuitton and Sephora.
  2. Elon Musk — $195bn: Cofounded six companies, including electric car maker Tesla, rocket producer SpaceX and tunneling start-up Boring Company. He hit the headlines last year for all the wrong reasons, and his social media takeover of Twitter has seen investors like Coca-Cola and Disney run away after he endorsed an antisemitic message.
  3. Jeff Bezos — $194bn: The archduke of Amazon has been a feature of this list and the shopping platform shows no signs of slowing down.
  4. Mark Zuckerberg — $177bn: Cofounded Facebook and is the head man at Meta.
  5. Larry Elison — $141bn: Owner and majority shareholder of Oracle. The company has risen to prominence after being integral to hybrid working during and after COVID-19.
  6. Warren Buffett — $133bn: Known as the "Oracle of Omaha," Buffett has seen his wealth rise since 2020 to an all-time high in 2024.
  7. Bill Gates — $128bn: Gates needs no introduction, and he has diversified his portfolio into many different investment streams.
  8. Steve Ballmer — $121bn: Former CEO of Microsoft.
  9. Mukesh Ambani –– $116bn: CEO of Reliance Industries, which has interests in petrochemicals, oil and gas, telecom, retail and financial services.
  10. Larry Page — $114bn: Controlling shareholder and former CEO of Alphabet, the owner of Google.

This year's ranking shows that 2,781 people qualify for the "billionaire" moniker ahead of 2023, showing a 141 increase on the previous year.

Image: Forbes.

The post More billionaires than ever according to Forbes appeared first on Due.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Side Hustle

20 Ways to Make Money from Home in 2023

Making money from home doesn't have to be complicated. Check out these 20 smart ways to make cash from the comfort of your computer desk.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Citigroup Eliminated More Jobs This Week. Here's Which Roles Were Affected.

Citigroup aims to cut 20,000 jobs by 2026 and is now more than halfway to its goal.

Buying / Investing in Business

The Future of Farming is Here

How Greenfield Robotics is shaping the next generation of agriculture.

Management

Our CTO Gave Us an Unexpected Ultimatum — and It Was Every Tech CEO's Worst Nightmare. Here's How We Handled It.

After one the most pivotal moments in our company's history, our former CTO decided to hold us hostage. Upon introspection, the errors that brought us to this fateful moment were mine to own. This is a cautionary tale for budding tech entrepreneurs about managing key man risk and treating your teams right.

Business News

'I Am Open to Investing': Mark Cuban Announces Open Call for 'Anyone' Who Can Build a TikTok Alternative

The billionaire entrepreneur says he's ready to support a viable alternative to TikTok on the AT Protocol.