Elon Musk is the richest person in the world in Forbes Australia’s October 2026 ranking, with an estimated net worth of $936 billion as of October 1, 2026. He first crossed the $500 billion threshold in October 2025; that milestone is not his current estimate. The figures below are Forbes estimates, not cash balances or audited personal balance sheets.
Who are the top 10 richest people in the world?
Forbes Australia published this list on October 2, 2026, using estimates dated October 1, 2026, at 12 a.m. Eastern. All values are in U.S. dollars and come from that same snapshot; rankings and fortunes can change as asset values move.
| Rank | Name | Estimated net worth | Change from previous month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $936 billion | Up $44 billion |
| 2 | Jeff Bezos | $370 billion | Up $102 billion |
| 3 | Larry Page | $286 billion | Up $8 billion |
| 4 | Michael Dell | $268 billion | Up $28 billion |
| 5 | Sergey Brin | $263 billion | Up $7 billion |
| 6 | Mark Zuckerberg | $251 billion | Up $55 billion |
| 7 | Jensen Huang | $200 billion | Up $9 billion |
| 8 | Larry Ellison | $179 billion | Down $13 billion |
| 9 | Steve Ballmer | $161 billion | Up $5 billion |
| 10 | Warren Buffett | $142 billion | Down $1 billion |
Forbes estimated the ten fortunes at a combined $3.1 trillion, compared with $2.8 trillion the month before. Six people on the list were estimated to be worth at least $200 billion. Forbes’s October 2026 list comprised ten American men.
Why did the ranking change?
Forbes attributed several of the month-to-month changes to share prices and private-company valuations. Its explanations describe the factors behind its estimates; they are not independently verified accounts of each person’s finances.
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- Jeff Bezos: His estimate rose $102 billion to $370 billion. Forbes linked the increase in part to private-investor valuations of Blue Origin and Prometheus.
- Michael Dell: Dell moved to fourth at $268 billion as Dell Technologies shares rose 18%, amid demand for AI servers.
- Mark Zuckerberg: He reached $251 billion after Meta shares reportedly increased 27%.
- Elon Musk: His estimate rose $44 billion to $936 billion as SpaceX shares rose 5%.
- Larry Page and Sergey Brin: Page ranked third at $286 billion and Brin fifth at $263 billion.
How much is Elon Musk worth, and when did he hit $500 billion?
Forbes Australia estimated Musk’s net worth at $936 billion in its October 1, 2026 snapshot. Forbes dates his first $500 billion milestone to October 2025. The date matters: the milestone and the later $936 billion figure refer to different snapshots, not conflicting estimates for the same moment.
The milestone also depends on when the estimate is measured. Axios reported that Musk’s estimate briefly passed $500 billion intraday on October 1, 2025, but was $499.1 billion at the close of trading. That distinction shows why a headline about reaching a threshold should specify whether it refers to an intraday estimate or a market close.
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Why do Forbes and Bloomberg report different net-worth estimates?
These rankings are dated estimates, not fixed measurements. Forbes’s October 1, 2026 estimate for Musk was $936 billion; Bloomberg’s September 29, 2026 index snapshot put him at $902 billion. The figures come from different publishers and dates, so they should not be merged into one ranking or treated as directly simultaneous readings.
Methodology can also matter. Both services assess assets and liabilities, but the valuation of private-company stakes and the treatment of awards can affect an estimate. Bloomberg says its index updates at the close of each New York trading day and provides profile-level explanations of individual fortunes. Forbes’s Musk profile says conditional restricted shares are excluded from its estimate. Neither figure should be read as cash on hand or an audited total.
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