The world's wealthiest person title is constantly shifting
Who is currently the richest person in the world?
The competition between billionaires for the top spot on the list of the richest people in the world is never-ending. Both the title holder and the five richest people in the world, whose combined net worth is currently an astounding £11.2 trillion, fluctuate frequently.
Warren Buffett and Larry Page are not among the top five richest people in the world, despite their substantial wealth. Despite her billion-dollar Eras Tour, Taylor Swift is not the richest woman in the world.
Our ranking is derived from Bloomberg's Billionaire Index, which offers a daily ranking based on shifts in the market and the economy. By the end of 2024, the wealth of the top ten on the rich list had increased by over £500 billion, and their total net worth was just over £2 trillion.
This list is not the same as The Sunday Times Rich List 2024, where Gopi Hinduja and her family are ranked first with a net worth of £37 billion. On this list, former UK prime minister Rishi Sunak is ranked 20 spots higher than in 2023.
The five wealthiest people in the world are detailed here.
The world's wealthiest individual.
1. Elon Musk
Elon Musk at the Oval Office signing an executive order.
(Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Elon Musk, a multibillionaire, has been dubbed the world's richest person. As of right now, Bloomberg reports that Musk has a net worth of £351 billion. Forbes estimates that he is worth £359.4 billion.
Musk is far more valuable than anyone else on the list, with Mark Zuckerberg, the second-richest billionaire, having a net worth of almost £115 billion less than Musk.
The businessman is the face of a number of tech companies, such as SpaceX, Tesla, and X, which was formerly Twitter. He became the largest shareholder in 2022 after purchasing a 92% stake in the social media company.
Under the new Department of Government Efficiency established by Donald Trump, Musk has been appointed to the White House. According to reports, Elon Musk's recent political decisions may have contributed to the company's January sales in Europe plummeting more than 45% year over year.
Learn more about Elon Musk's wealth and how he founded Tesla.
2. Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg gives a Senate Judiciary Committee testimony.
Mark Zuckerberg is the creator of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp, the most widely used social media platforms worldwide (photo courtesy of Alex Wong/Getty Images).
As per Bloomberg, Zuckerberg has a net worth of £236 billion. His acquisitions of Instagram (£1 billion) and WhatsApp (£19 billion) account for the majority of his wealth. The most recent addition to Zuckerberg's social network portfolio is Threads, a rival to X.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Zuckerberg's fortunes increased by 70% in 2024, bringing his net worth to approximately £72 billion.
Read more about Mark Zuckerberg's wealth and how Facebook became Meta.
3. Jeff Bezos
"The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power" has its world premiere, and Jeff Bezos is there.
Jeff Bezos, whose net worth is £232 billion, has fallen to third place on the list of the world's richest people (Image credit: Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images). Founded in 1994, Amazon is the billionaire's most well-known accomplishment. It all began when Bezos started selling books online from his garage after spotting a void in the e-commerce market. The market capitalization of the empire is currently £1,809 trillion.
One of the biggest newspapers in the US, The Washington Post, is also owned by Bezos. Having founded Blue Origin in 2000, he owns a stake in the space exploration company that will send singer Katy Perry, former NASA scientist Aisha Bowe, and a few other women into space as part of an all-female crew.
Learn more about the main determinants of Jeff Bezos's wealth.
4. Bernard Arnault
. The show at Viva Technology is attended by Bernard Arnault.
(Image credit: Chesnot/Getty Images) Bernard Arnault is among the world's five richest people, which is not surprising given that his luxury business has made him billions of dollars. The businessman is among the biggest investors in LVMH, a conglomerate that owns luxury labels like Dior and Louis Vuitton.
As a young businessman, Arnault inherited Ferret-Savinel, his father's construction company, in 1971. He used the proceeds from the sale of this business to finance the 1985 purchase of Christian Dior. After concluding that even high-end brands could profit from economies of scale, Arnault combined a number of luxury goods companies under one roof. These names are currently owned by LVMH, the parent company.
According to Bloomberg, his net worth is £192 billion. Arnault is already about £15 billion richer in 2025, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and he is far ahead of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison on the list.
Learn more about Bernard Arnault's wealth and how the Chinese economy significantly influenced the evolution of the luxury goods industry.
5. Larry Ellison
. Speaking at a press conference with U.S. S. . Donald Trump, the President.
(Image courtesy of Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) Larry Ellison founded Oracle in 1977, one of the biggest software companies in the world.
Oracle was a global sensation when Ellison launched it, and many companies preferred it because of its speed and effectiveness. It emerged as a fierce rival to companies like IBM, Microsoft, and Intel.
According to Thomson Data, major corporations like JPMorgan Chase, Netflix, and UnitedHealth Group now use Oracle software. About 42% of Oracle, or more than 1 billion shares, are owned by the entrepreneur.
Ellison has a £187 billion fortune. Business Insider claims that the billionaire's wealth increased by over £67 billion in 2024, surpassing that of Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer.
See how Larry Ellison earns the remaining billions from Oracle and learn more about his net worth.
Leave a comment on: Who is the world's wealthiest individual?