Here’s my blog post on "The Top Ten Richest People in the World (2025)"—with Elon Musk at No. 1 as you probably already know plus the other nine. It includes how they made their wealth and whether it's self-made or inherited. All are Americans except for Numbers 5 and 9. Note there are no women in the list of top ten. This blog is inspired after reading that Elon Musk may become the first trillionaire in 10 years.
The Top Ten Richest People in the World (2025)
1. Elon Musk💚
Net worth: ~$342 billion (as of early March 2025) — self-made
Self-made tech and space mogul whose fortune stems from Tesla (electric vehicles), SpaceX (aerospace), AI (xAI), and his social media venture X (formerly Twitter) ForbesInvestopedia.
💚Elon Musk may become the world’s 1st trillionaire
Musk, 54, is in line for a payout of US$1 trillion if his electric car company meets a series of targets over the next 10 years, according to documents released by Tesla on Friday.
Tesla, which is leaning heavily into robotics and artificial intelligence, said in the regulatory filing that the package has a dozen share tranches that include awards for Musk if targets — ranging from car production to the total value of the company — are met over that time period. The company would have to reach a market valuation of $2 trillion and achieve 20 million vehicle deliveries very early in the plan for Musk to receive the payout. Tesla delivered fewer than two million vehicles in 2024.
Net worth: ~$216 billion — self-made
Co-founder and CEO of Meta Platforms (Facebook, Instagram). Wealth derived from his groundbreaking social media empire ForbesWikipedia.
3. Jeff Bezos
Net worth: ~$215 billion — self-made
Founder of Amazon, which transformed retail through e-commerce and cloud computing. Though now stepping back from day-to-day operations, Amazon remains the core of his wealth ForbesWikipedia.
4. Larry Ellison
Net worth: ~$192 billion — self-made
Co-founder and longtime executive of Oracle, the enterprise software giant. Built the company from scratch into a tech behemoth ForbesWikipedia+1.
5. Bernard Arnault & Family
Net worth: ~$178 billion — inherited & self-made
Chairman of LVMH, the world’s leading luxury goods conglomerate (Louis Vuitton, Dior, Sephora, etc.). Much of the business was inherited, but Arnault expanded and elevated the empire considerably WikipediaForbes.
6. Warren Buffett
Net worth: ~$154 billion — self-made
Legendary investor and chairman/CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. Built his wealth through decades of strategic investing and business management Wikipedia.
7. Larry Page
Net worth: ~$144 billion — self-made
Co-founder of Google (and Alphabet). Although now less active, he remains one of the largest shareholders in one of the world’s most valuable companies WikipediaForbes.
8. Sergey Brin
Net worth: ~$138 billion — self-made
Co-founder of Google alongside Page. His wealth also comes from his continued holding in Alphabet WikipediaForbes.
9. Amancio Ortega
Net worth: ~$124 billion — self-made
Founder of Inditex, the parent company of fashion powerhouse Zara. Built one of the world’s largest fashion empires Wikipedia.
10. Steve Ballmer
Net worth: ~$118 billion — self-made
Former CEO of Microsoft (2000–2014). Built his fortune through long-term Microsoft shares, including recent boosts from AI-related growth WikipediaForbes.
Summary Table
| Rank | Name | Net Worth (approx.) | Source of Wealth | Self-made or Inherited |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $342 b | Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, X | Self-made |
| 2 | Mark Zuckerberg | $216 b | Meta Platforms | Self-made |
| 3 | Jeff Bezos | $215 b | Amazon | Self-made |
| 4 | Larry Ellison | $192 b | Oracle | Self-made |
| 5 | Bernard Arnault & family | $178 b | LVMH (luxury goods) | Inherited & Self-made |
| 6 | Warren Buffett | $154 b | Berkshire Hathaway (investments) | Self-made |
| 7 | Larry Page | $144 b | Google/Alphabet | Self-made |
| 8 | Sergey Brin | $138 b | Google/Alphabet | Self-made |
| 9 | Amancio Ortega | $124 b | Inditex (Zara) | Self-made |
| 10 | Steve Ballmer | $118 b | Microsoft | Self-made |
Final Thoughts
This is a snapshot of the 2025 top ten richest individuals globally, based on Forbes’ list as of March 7, 2025 ForbesWikipedia. Most wealth here is self-made, built on innovation, business acumen, and strategic leadership. Bernard Arnault represents a unique blend of inheritance and empire-building; he inherited the company but greatly expanded its global footprint.
Meanwhile, Did you know that....
As of September 2025, there are 1,135 billionaires in the United States, with a combined net worth of approximately $5.7 trillion, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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