The wealthiest women in the world dominate various industries such as entertainment, cosmetics and food.
The majority of the five wealthiest women (as of February 2024) are from the United States, according to Statista.
Can you guess who the richest woman in the world is? Read on to find out!
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5. Miriam Adelson
Miriam Adelson, an American and Israeli physician focusing on tackling drug addiction, has a staggering net worth of around $35.7 billion.
She became the owner of casino and resort company Las Vegas Sands in 2021 after her husband, Sheldon Adelson, died.
In 2000, Miriam founded the Adelson Clinic to help treat those addicted to opioids.
4. Jacqueline Mars
With an estimated net worth of $39.5 billion, Jacqueline Mars is the fourth wealthiest woman in the world and owns around 30% of the food and sweets empire Mars Incorporated.
She is the granddaughter of Franklin Clarence Mars, who founded the famous company, which is behind popular brands such as M&Ms, Snickers and Skittles.
Jacqueline worked for Mars for 20 years and was on the board until 2016.
3. Julia Koch (and family)
Julia Koch, an American philanthropist, has an estimated net worth of $59.8 billion.
When her husband, David Koch, died in 2019, Julia and her three children inherited a 42% stake in Koch Industries, which has subsidiaries that are involved in various areas such as manufacturing and energy.
Before Julia married David, she was an assistant to fashion designer Adolfo Sardiña and dressed high-profile clients, including Nancy Reagan.
Julia is the president of the David H. Koch Foundation, which supports many causes involving medical research, education and the arts.
2. Alice Walton
Alice Walton, an American heiress, has an estimated net worth of $63.7 billion and is the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton.
While Alice owns a huge stake in Walmart alongside her siblings, Rob and Jim, she doesn’t work for the retail corporation.
Instead, Alice has focused on art and wellness, opening the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in 2011 and the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, which was founded in 2021.
1. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers
With an eye-watering net worth of $99 billion, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, a French businesswoman and philanthropist, is the richest woman in the world.
Françoise is the granddaughter of Eugène Schueller, the founder of beauty empire L’Oréal, and the only child of Liliane Bettencourt.
When her mother died in 2017, she inherited her fortune. Along with her family, Françoise owns around 33% of L’Oréal stock, according to Forbes.
She has been a director of L’Oréal since 1997. Françoise is the founder and president of the Fondation Bettencourt Schueller, which supports sciences and the arts, as well as promotes an inclusive society.
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FAQs
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, 70, has been deemed the richest woman in the entire world with a net worth of $99.5 billion in 2024, according to Forbes. She owes it to the widely known cosmetic care company called L'Oreal, which was founded by her grandfather.
Who are the top five richest women in the world? ›
Top 5 richest women in the world
- Françoise Bettencourt Meyers (Age: 78) – Estimated net worth: $89.8 Billion. ...
- Alice Walton (Age: 72) – Estimated net worth: $72 billion. ...
- Julia Koch (Age: 60) – Estimated net worth: $65.1 billion. ...
- Jacqueline Mars (Age: 82) – Estimated net worth: $37.3 billion.
Bernard Arnault, the CEO and chairman of LVMH, the world's largest luxury goods group, has reclaimed the top spot as the richest person on January 31, 2024, surpassing Elon Musk.
Who is the richest female doctor in the world? ›
Zulekha Daud
| Dr. Zulekha Daud |
|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Citizenship | India |
| Education | MBBS |
| Occupation(s) | Founder, Chairperson of Zulekha Healthcare Group including Zulekha Hospital United Arab Emirates Alexis Multispeciality Hospital, India, Zulekha Colleges, India. |
10 more rowsMoo Abraham, who is nicknamed "billionaire's daughter" on TikTok, flaunts watches worth $100,000 and $40,000 handbags, according to. The outlet said that she is the daughter of Emily and Adam Abraham, who founded a second-hand luxury goods store called 'Love Luxury' that resells handbags, watches and jewellery.
Who are the 3 richest woman in the world? ›
2021 list
| No. | Name | Net worth US$ (billions) |
|---|
| 1 | Françoise Bettencourt Meyers | 73.6 |
| 2 | Alice Walton | 61.8 |
| 3 | MacKenzie Scott | 53 |
| 4 | Julia Koch | 46.4 |
6 more rowsA 19-year-old Brazilian student, Livia Voigt, claims the title of the world's youngest billionaire, surpassing Italian teen Clemente Del Vecchio. Voigt, heiress to a major electrical motors manufacturer, holds a net worth of $1.1 billion.
Who was the girl who made money? ›
Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919): Widely regarded as the first female self-made millionaire, Madam C.J. Walker started her own line of hair products dubbed Madam Walker's Wonderful Hair Grower in 1905.
Who is the no. 1 richest person in the world? ›
Bernard Arnault, chairman of LVMH, is the richest person and the richest man in the world with a net worth of $215 billion. After Arnault is Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon. Other billionaires with some of the largest net worths include Tesla's Musk, Microsoft's Bill Gates, and Oracle's Larry Ellison.
Who will be richest in 2025? ›
2025. Gautam Adani & family would be a year behind Musk, with Adani reaching trillionaire status in 2025 at age 62 following his current rate of growth. Adani is the chairman of the commodity trading business Adani Group, founded in 1988.
Mansa Musa ruled over the Mali empire in the 14th Century, and his incredible access to gold made him arguably the richest human to have ever lived. So, why is it that he has largely disappeared from the western historical imagination?
How many billionaires are in the world in 2024? ›
Forbes this week released its annual World's Billionaires List, ranking the world's richest people – including some newcomers like pop superstar Taylor Swift and NBA legend and businessman Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The 2024 list has a record-breaking 2,781 billionaires – which is more than ever before, Forbes said.
Which doctor is a billionaire? ›
1. Al Habib is the fifth-wealthiest physician on the Bloomberg index, and one of few medical doctors to rank among the world's richest people. Miriam Adelson, the widow of casino magnate Sheldon, is worth $34 billion, while Thomas Frist, co-founder of hospital network HCA Healthcare Inc., is worth $25 billion.
What is the rarest doctor? ›
However, medical geneticists, also known as clinical geneticists, are believed to be among the rarest types of doctors. They specialize in diagnosing and treating genetic disorders that affect a relatively small percentage of the population. In the United States, there are only about 1,200 medical geneticists.
Are there millionaire doctors? ›
By the time physicians reach their forties, it is very possible to achieve millionaire status, with some physicians even becoming multimillionaires. This trend continues with doctors in their fifties, with 60% of physicians' worth at least $1 million.
How rich is Taylor Swift now? ›
According to Forbes, there are more billionaires than ever before (141 more than last year and 26 more than the 2021 record), with their collective worth reaching $14.2 trillion. Swift's inclusion comes after Forbes declared the singer a billionaire in October 2023 and reported her net worth at $1.1 billion.
How much money does Taylor Swift have? ›
She also owns numerous pricey properties across the U.S. Both Bloomberg and Forbes pin her net worth at an estimated $1.1 billion on the low end, based on analyses of her fortune. Swift first achieved billionaire status in October when she released a re-recording of her nine-year-old album "1989," Bloomberg reported.
How did Alice Walton get her money? ›
Alice Louise Walton (born October 7, 1949) is an American heiress to the fortune of Walmart as daughter of founder Sam Walton. In September 2016, she owned over $11 billion in Walmart shares.
