Bernard Arnault & family topped Forbes’ 2024 World’s Billionaires List with an estimated net worth of $233 billion. Elon Musk ranked second at $195 billion, Jeff Bezos was third at $194 billion, and the final listed rank—No. 200—was shared by three entries at $10.7 billion.
This was not a year-end or real-time ranking. Forbes’ 2024 annual list was published on April 2, updated April 4, and calculated using stock prices and exchange rates available on March 8, 2024. The figures below are historical estimates, not audited balance sheets or current net worths. See Forbes’ complete ranked table for the full list through the tied No. 200.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The 2024 Forbes billionaire list at a glance
| Measure | Forbes’ figure |
|---|---|
| Annual edition | 38th World’s Billionaires List |
| Publication date | April 2, 2024 |
| Last article update | April 4, 2024 |
| Wealth snapshot | March 8, 2024 |
| Billionaires worldwide | 2,781 |
| Combined wealth | $14.2 trillion |
| Change from 2023 | 141 more billionaires and $2 trillion more combined wealth |
| No. 1 | Bernard Arnault & family — $233 billion |
| Top-200 cutoff | $10.7 billion, shared at No. 200 |
These worldwide totals cover Forbes’ complete list of 2,781 billionaires, not just the top 200. The annual list had 26 more billionaires than the previous record set in 2021. Forbes’ facts-and-figures report provides the broader totals and year-over-year comparisons.
Recommended Free Tools
Forbes’ top 20 billionaires in 2024
Every amount below is Forbes’ estimate in U.S. dollars as of March 8, 2024. The country or territory and industry fields retain Forbes’ labels; they should not automatically be read as a person’s residence, citizenship, birthplace, or the location of a company’s headquarters.
#1 Best Overall
| Rank | Name | Estimated net worth | Country/territory listed by Forbes | Industry | Family designation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bernard Arnault & family | $233 billion | France | Fashion & Retail | Yes |
| 2 | Elon Musk | $195 billion | United States | Automotive | No |
| 3 | Jeff Bezos | $194 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 4 | Mark Zuckerberg | $177 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 5 | Larry Ellison | $141 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 6 | Warren Buffett | $133 billion | United States | Finance & Investments | No |
| 7 | Bill Gates | $128 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 8 | Steve Ballmer | $121 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 9 | Mukesh Ambani | $116 billion | India | Diversified | No |
| 10 | Larry Page | $114 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 11 | Sergey Brin | $110 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 12 | Michael Bloomberg | $106 billion | United States | Finance & Investments | No |
| 13 | Amancio Ortega | $103 billion | Spain | Fashion & Retail | No |
| 14 | Carlos Slim Helu & family | $102 billion | Mexico | Telecom | Yes |
| 15 | Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family | $99.5 billion | France | Fashion & Retail | Yes |
| 16 | Michael Dell | $91 billion | United States | Technology | No |
| 17 | Gautam Adani | $84 billion | India | Diversified | No |
| 18 | Jim Walton & family | $78.4 billion | United States | Fashion & Retail | Yes |
| 19 | Rob Walton & family | $77.4 billion | United States | Fashion & Retail | Yes |
| 20 | Jensen Huang | $77 billion | United States | Technology | No |
Open the complete Forbes top-200 ranking. Forbes preserves tied ranks and therefore the faithful list contains more named entries than a simple 200-row ranking would suggest.
Who was the richest person in 2024?
Forbes ranked Bernard Arnault and family first with an estimated $233 billion. Arnault’s wealth was primarily associated with LVMH and its luxury businesses, including Louis Vuitton, Sephora, and Tiffany & Co. Forbes placed him at No. 1 for the second consecutive year.
Arnault’s lead over Elon Musk was $38 billion at the March 8 snapshot. Musk ranked second at $195 billion, just $1 billion ahead of Jeff Bezos at $194 billion. The top-three order was therefore:
- Bernard Arnault & family: $233 billion
- Elon Musk: $195 billion
- Jeff Bezos: $194 billion
A ranking based on a different date could produce a different order. Public-company share prices can move billions of dollars in a single trading session, which is why the date is part of the result.
What was the top-200 wealth cutoff?
The final listed rank was $10.7 billion. Forbes showed a three-way tie at No. 200:
| Rank | Name | Estimated net worth |
|---|---|---|
| 199 | David Vélez & family | $10.8 billion |
| 200 | Suleiman Kerimov & family | $10.7 billion |
| 200 | Sarath Ratanavadi | $10.7 billion |
| 200 | Patrick Ryan | $10.7 billion |
The “top 200” is a rank cutoff, not necessarily exactly 200 names. When multiple entries have the same estimated wealth, Forbes gives them the same rank and later rank numbers can be skipped. A person listed at No. 200 also should not be described as having exactly $10.7 billion in liquid assets; it is Forbes’ rounded estimate of net worth at the snapshot date.
How Forbes calculated the 2024 estimates
Snapshot date: Forbes used stock prices and exchange rates from March 8, 2024. The list was published in April, but “2024” does not mean wealth measured at the end of 2024 or on the day the article was read.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Rank #2
Estimated net worth: Net worth generally reflects the estimated value of ownership stakes and other assets minus known liabilities. It is not the amount of cash sitting in a bank account and is not an audited personal balance sheet.
Public and private assets: Public-company holdings can be marked against disclosed ownership and market prices. Private companies, real estate, art, and other illiquid assets require assumptions, comparable-company analysis, and valuation judgments. Forbes acknowledges that it cannot know every detail of a billionaire’s private balance sheet. Its published billionaire-list methodology explains these limitations.
Family entries: Forbes generally ranks an individual, but sometimes includes wealth belonging to a spouse or children under the founder’s entry. That is why the table includes names such as “Bernard Arnault & family,” “Carlos Slim Helu & family,” and “Jim Walton & family.” A family-labelled figure should not be interpreted as belonging exclusively to the named individual.
Historical rather than live: The estimates could change immediately after March 8. For someone who wants to know who is richest now, Forbes’ real-time billionaire tracker is the more appropriate source. It should not be mixed with this annual table: replacing 2024 figures with current figures while retaining 2024 ranks would create a ranking Forbes did not publish.
What stands out in the top 20?
- U.S. dominance: Fourteen of the 20 entries were listed under the United States. The group included technology founders and executives such as Bezos, Zuckerberg, Ellison, Gates, Ballmer, Page, Brin, Dell, and Huang, as well as Buffett and Bloomberg.
- Technology’s prominence: Technology was the industry label for nine of the top 20 entries. Musk, however, was classified by Forbes under Automotive, reflecting Tesla’s importance to the estimate even though his business interests span several sectors.
- Luxury and retail fortunes: Arnault, Ortega, Bettencourt Meyers, Jim Walton, and Rob Walton appeared under Fashion & Retail. The classification describes the principal industry category used by Forbes, not every asset held by each family.
- India’s two entries: Mukesh Ambani ranked ninth at $116 billion, while Gautam Adani ranked 17th at $84 billion. Both were classified as Diversified.
- Highest-ranked woman in the top 20: Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family ranked 15th at $99.5 billion.
- Jensen Huang’s rise: Huang reached the global top 20 for the first time, helped by Nvidia’s share-price surge associated with demand for artificial-intelligence computing.
Forbes said the top 20 collectively added approximately $700 billion compared with 2023. That is a year-over-year comparison of the group, not a claim that each person’s wealth rose or that the total represents cash gains.
Countries and territories with the most billionaires
Forbes’ geographic analysis uses a Country/Territory field. The figures below are Forbes’ groupings and should not be silently relabelled as nationality or current residence.
| Ranking | Country/territory grouping | Billionaires | Combined wealth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 813 | $5.7 trillion |
| 2 | Mainland China | 406 | $1.3 trillion |
| 3 | India | 200 | $954 billion |
| 4 | Germany | 132 | $644 billion |
| 5 | Russia | 120 | $537 billion |
| 6 | Italy | 73 | $302 billion |
| 7 | Brazil | 69 | $231 billion |
| 8 | Canada | 67 | $315 billion |
| 9 | Hong Kong | 67 | $330 billion |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 55 | $225 billion |
The United States led by a wide margin, with 813 listed billionaires and combined wealth of $5.7 trillion. India ranked third by number, with 200 billionaires and $954 billion in combined wealth.
Rank #3
Why mainland China and Hong Kong must be separated
Forbes reported 406 billionaires in mainland China and 67 in Hong Kong. It also described China including Hong Kong as having 473 billionaires worth $1.7 trillion. Those are not contradictory figures: 473 is 406 plus 67, while the $1.7 trillion figure combines the two wealth totals. The list should not use the mainland headcount with the combined China-and-Hong-Kong wealth.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsForbes’ separate analysis also discussed China’s losses using a comparison that included Hong Kong and Macau. That context should not be confused with the table above, which reports mainland China and Hong Kong separately.
Which industries produced the most billionaires?
Forbes’ industry data covers the entire 2,781-person billionaire list—not only the top 200. Finance & Investments was the most common category by headcount, while Technology billionaires collectively controlled the greatest estimated wealth.
| Industry | Billionaires | Share of full list |
|---|---|---|
| Finance & Investments | 427 | 15% |
| Technology | 342 | 12% |
| Manufacturing | 328 | 12% |
| Fashion & Retail | 285 | 10% |
| Food & Beverage | 210 | 8% |
| Diversified | 201 | 7% |
| Healthcare | 197 | 7% |
| Real Estate | 190 | 7% |
| Media & Entertainment | 104 | 4% |
| Energy | 98 | 4% |
Forbes estimated the combined wealth of technology billionaires at approximately $2.6 trillion. It also said technology billionaires gained approximately $750 billion over the year. Industry labels are a comparison framework, not a complete description of each person’s holdings. Musk’s Automotive classification is a useful example: it does not mean his other businesses are irrelevant, only that Forbes assigned that principal category for the list.
Read Forbes’ industry analysis.
Newcomers, major gainers, and people who fell off the list
Newcomers
Forbes identified 265 newcomers to the full 2024 billionaire list. Andrea Pignataro was the richest newcomer, with an estimated $27.5 billion.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Taylor Swift also became a billionaire, with Forbes estimating her wealth at $1.1 billion. Forbes described her as the first musician to reach billionaire status primarily through songwriting and performing. Sam Altman, Dick Wolf, and Magic Johnson were among other notable newcomers. None of these names should be treated as a top-200 entry based solely on their newcomer status; the top-200 cutoff was $10.7 billion.
Largest gainers
Mark Zuckerberg recorded the largest one-year dollar increase discussed in Forbes’ main facts-and-figures article, which attributed his gain largely to Meta’s share-price recovery and cost-cutting. Forbes’ main article gives the increase as $116.2 billion, while a separate Forbes gainers article reports $112.6 billion. Those figures come from separate Forbes calculations and should not be combined or presented as though they were one identical measure.
The top 20 collectively gained approximately $700 billion, and technology billionaires as a group gained approximately $750 billion. These are estimates based on the relevant annual comparison dates, not realized investment returns.
People who fell below the billionaire threshold
Forbes said 189 people fell below its $1 billion threshold. Many of the losses were associated with China’s property downturn, weaker growth, declining foreign investment, and stock-market weakness. China lost 133 billionaires when Hong Kong and Macau were included in that comparison.
“Fell off” means Forbes’ estimated net worth was below the list’s $1 billion inclusion threshold at the measurement date. It does not necessarily mean the person had no remaining wealth or that the person’s assets disappeared.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Important cautions when using the list
Net worth is not spendable cash
A large portion of a billionaire’s estimated wealth may be tied to shares in a public company, a private business, real estate, art, or other assets. Selling a large stake could affect the market price, create taxes, or be restricted by agreements or regulation. The ranking is therefore not a statement about how much money someone could immediately withdraw.
Sanctions and restrictions are separate from valuation
The 2024 list included sanctioned individuals, including Suleiman Kerimov, who appeared in the tied No. 200 position. Inclusion means Forbes assigned an estimated net worth under its methodology; it does not mean the assets are liquid, unrestricted, or legally available. Sanctions status and asset access must be assessed separately.
Do not overwrite a historical list with current information
Names, company roles, ownership stakes, ages, market values, and personal circumstances may change after the 2024 snapshot. Any current biography or current net worth should be marked as a post-2024 update rather than silently inserted into the historical ranking.
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallDifferent rankings can disagree
Bloomberg, Hurun, Forbes’ real-time tracker, and other wealth rankings may use different valuation dates, exchange rates, asset assumptions, ownership estimates, and treatment of family wealth. A different number is not automatically an error; it may be measuring a different snapshot under a different methodology.
Best Value
How to use the 2024 list correctly
- Use it for historical comparisons, year-over-year analysis, and research about the wealth distribution reported in early 2024.
- Use the March 8, 2024 date whenever quoting a net worth from the table.
- Keep the “& family” suffix when Forbes uses it.
- Preserve tied ranks, especially the three-way tie at No. 200.
- Describe amounts as “Forbes estimated” or “Forbes valued,” rather than as audited or certain figures.
- Use the Forbes real-time list if the question is who is richest today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Forbes 2024 billionaire list current?
No. It is an annual historical snapshot based on stock prices and exchange rates from March 8, 2024. Forbes’ real-time billionaire tracker and later annual lists are more appropriate for current rankings.
What was the net-worth cutoff for Forbes’ top 200 in 2024?
The final listed rank was $10.7 billion. Suleiman Kerimov & family, Sarath Ratanavadi, and Patrick Ryan shared No. 200. David Vélez & family ranked No. 199 at $10.8 billion.
Why do some names include “& family”?
Forbes sometimes includes wealth held by a spouse or children under the founder or principal family member’s entry. The estimate should not be interpreted as belonging exclusively to the named person.
Why are there multiple people at the same rank?
Forbes assigns the same rank to entries with the same estimated net worth. Later rank numbers can therefore be skipped, and the top-200 cutoff can contain more names than a simple 200-row table.
Why does Forbes list mainland China and Hong Kong separately?
Forbes’ geographic table uses separate country/territory groupings: 406 billionaires for mainland China and 67 for Hong Kong. Forbes also reported a combined China-including-Hong-Kong total of 473. The two presentations should not be mixed without stating which grouping is being used.
Are the net worth figures audited?
No. They are Forbes estimates based on public and private-company valuations, ownership information, exchange rates, stock prices, and assumptions about other assets and liabilities. Private-company, real-estate, art, and other illiquid-asset values are especially uncertain.
Why might another ranking show a different net worth?
Different publications may use different dates, exchange rates, valuation models, liability assumptions, and rules for family-held wealth. Even Forbes’ annual and real-time lists can differ because market prices and ownership information change.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Where is the complete Forbes top-200 table?
The complete ranked entries, including the intermediate ranks and Forbes’ country and industry labels, are in Forbes’ original top-200 article. Its table is the authoritative source for the full historical ranking.
The Bottom Line
Forbes’ 2024 World’s Billionaires List placed Bernard Arnault & family first at an estimated $233 billion, ahead of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. The list measured wealth on March 8, 2024—not when the article was published and not today. The $10.7 billion No. 200 cutoff, the three-way tie, family designations, country/territory labels, and estimated—not audited—valuations are essential to interpreting the ranking accurately.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
