Mark Zuckerberg has overtaken Jeff Bezos to become the world's second-richest person, according to recent reports. This shift in the rankings is primarily attributed to the strong performance of Meta's shares, which have outpaced Amazon's gains in the stock market. While Zuckerberg's fortune has surged, Elon Musk continues to hold the top spot as the world's wealthiest individual.
As of May 2025, Elon Musk's net worth is estimated to be around $331 billion to $389 billion, primarily driven by his ownership in Tesla and SpaceX. Despite controversies and fluctuations in Tesla's share price, Musk remains at the top of the global rich list. He also owns other ventures, including Neuralink, The Boring Company, and X (formerly Twitter).
Mark Zuckerberg's net worth has increased to an estimated $206 billion to $212 billion, propelled by a sharp rise in Meta's share price. Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook, now Meta Platforms, in 2004 and serves as its chairman, CEO, and controlling shareholder. Meta's strong first-quarter revenue, which exceeded analyst estimates, has contributed to the surge in its stock value.
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, now holds the third position with a net worth of approximately $206 billion to $209 billion. Although Bezos's fortune experienced a slight decrease, he remains one of the wealthiest individuals globally. Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 and served as its CEO until July 2021. He also owns Blue Origin, a spaceflight company, and The Washington Post.
The tech sector continues to dominate the upper echelons of wealth, with the majority of the world's richest individuals deriving their fortunes from technology companies. Other prominent figures in the top 10 include Larry Ellison of Oracle, Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway, and Bill Gates of Microsoft.
The rise in fortunes among the top billionaires has occurred even as the Nasdaq climbed and the S\&P 500 experienced some declines. This highlights the significant impact of technology companies on the global economy and the concentration of wealth among their founders and major shareholders.
The global billionaire population has continued to grow, with over 2,860 individuals representing almost $15 trillion in wealth. These billionaires play a significant role in shaping the global economy, politics, and philanthropy. Many of them are founders of technology giants, with substantial portions of their wealth invested in the companies they started.
The positions and net worths of these individuals are subject to daily change due to fluctuations in stock prices and market conditions. Forbes and other financial publications track these changes in real-time, providing up-to-date information on the world's wealthiest people.
