The world's richest 25 people lost $200 billion last year—Jeff Bezos' net worth fell the most (2024)

FAQs

Who is No 1 richest person in the world? ›

Jeff Bezos is world's richest person again, edging out former No. 1 Elon Musk - CBS News.

Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos became the only American with a net worth above $200 billion Wednesday, enjoying a boost from Amazon stock's flirtation with an all-time high.

Jeff Bezos has reclaimed the title of the richest person on Earth, surpassing Elon Musk, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index on Monday.

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.

Rockefeller became the world's first confirmed billionaire. It wasn't until 1999 when the world saw its first centibillionaire, when Bill Gates' net worth, however briefly, surpassed $100 billion.

The 400 Richest People In America. 1. Elon Musk cofounded six companies, including electric car maker Tesla, rocket producer SpaceX and tunneling startup Boring Company.

Taylor Swift has joined the exclusive billionaire club, thanks to her highly successful Eras tour. According to a report from Bloomberg, the 33-year-old pop star has amassed a net worth of about $1.1 billion, primarily from her music.

Bernard Arnault, CEO and chairman of luxury goods group LVMH, moved back into the No. 1 richest spot on January 31, 2024, overtaking Elon Musk—and Arnault held onto that rank throughout February and March.

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.

How is Taylor Swift a billionaire? ›

Last year, Billboard estimated that the Swift grossed approximately $1.82 billion in music sales and royalties, concert tickets, merchandise sales at concerts and movie ticket sales in 2023 through Dec. 7.

There are currently 3,279 billionaires globally, a 5% increase from 2023, the report showed. According to the country ranking, China still tops the list with 814 billionaires even though the country lost 155 billionaires from a year ago.

Taylor Swift officially landed on Forbes' billionaires list on Tuesday, April 2. But what distinguishes the 34-year-old singer-songwriter from other wealthy artists is how she accumulated her billion-dollar fortune.

Swift's inclusion comes after Forbes declared the singer a billionaire in October 2023 and reported her net worth at $1.1 billion. In a rare feat, Swift is the first musician to reach the milestone solely from songwriting and performing.

They hail from 78 countries, up from 77 in 2023. The U.S. remains the country with the most billionaire citizens, with 813 who are collectively worth $5.7 trillion, both records.

On September 27, 2021, after Tesla stock surged, Forbes announced that Musk had a net worth of over $200 billion, and was the richest person in the world. In November 2021, Musk became the first person to have a net worth of more than $300 billion.