The 2026 Forbes World’s Billionaires list shows a record number of wealthy people around the world. There are now 3,428 billionaires, the most in the list’s 40-year history. Together, they are worth $20.1 trillion, up from $16.1 trillion last year.
Elon Musk is at the top, becoming the richest person ever with an estimated net worth of $839 billion. His wealth has grown by about $500 billion in one year, thanks to the rising value of Tesla and SpaceX. Musk is the first person to reach more than $800 billion and could become the world’s first trillionaire if this continues.
The next richest are tech leaders Larry Page ($257 billion) and Sergey Brin ($237 billion), co-founders of Google. Jeff Bezos ($224 billion) and Mark Zuckerberg ($222 billion) follow them.
This year’s list also includes 390 newcomers, like musician and entrepreneur Dr. Dre, singer Beyoncé, tennis star Roger Federer, and Kimbal Musk, Elon Musk’s brother. Many of them joined the list because they now own large shares in successful companies.
The United States has the most billionaires with 989 people, followed by China (539) and India (229). Celebrity billionaires are also increasing. There are now 22 athletes and entertainers worth over $48 billion in total, up from 18 last year.
Forbes’ ranking is based on the value of stocks, companies, and other assets as of March 1, 2026. The list shows that most of the world’s wealth is still concentrated in technology and media, with new gains coming from AI and other fast-growing industries.
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