Forbes’ annual world’s billionaires list has hit a historic high, featuring an impressive count of 2,755 billionaires. Holding the title for the fourth consecutive year is Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com Inc, as disclosed by Forbes on Tuesday.
This expansion of ultra-wealthy individuals comes on the heels of a year marked by the coronavirus pandemic, which disrupted global economies and livelihoods on a massive scale.
The combined net worth of this year’s billionaires has soared to an astounding $13.1 trillion, a substantial increase compared to the previous year’s $8 trillion, according to Forbes.
Forbes’ Chief Content Officer, Randall Lane, underscored the point, stating, «The very, very rich got very, very richer,» during an interview with Reuters Video News.
In a remarkable ascent, Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has surged to the second spot on the list, up from his 31st position in the previous year.
The top five wealthiest billionaires globally include Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook.
In an unusual shift, Warren Buffett, the renowned investor and business tycoon, has fallen out of the top five for the first time in over two decades, as tech leaders continue to dominate Forbes’ rankings.
This year’s list boasts 493 newcomers, with notable additions like Whitney Wolfe Herd, CEO of the dating app Bumble, which went public this year.
