Taylor Swift, renowned pop sensation, has ascended to the ranks of the world's wealthiest individuals, joining the likes of Elon Musk, as reported by a recent rich list. With a net worth of $1.1 billion, she makes her debut on the Forbes World's Billionaires List alongside Sam Altman, the mind behind the AI chatbot ChatGPT, with $1 billion to his name. Topping this esteemed list are Bernard Arnault and his family, the powerhouse behind LVMH, boasting a staggering fortune estimated at $233 billion. Forbes notes a record-breaking 2,781 billionaires for the year 2024, marking an increase of 141 individuals compared to the previous year and 26 more than the previous record set in 2021.
This elite group's combined wealth has soared to $14.2 trillion, indicative of their unprecedented prosperity. Swift's inclusion in this list comes as no surprise, given her meteoric rise to stardom, highlighted by her remarkable achievements in music, including winning the prestigious album of the year award at the Grammy Awards four times and her album "1989 (Taylor's Version)" emerging as the best-selling vinyl LP of the past year. Moreover, her influence extends beyond the realm of music, as her mere presence at American football games to support her boyfriend Travis Kelce has been credited with boosting NFL viewership figures.
As of the latest data available, here is the list of the world's top 10 billionaires ranked by net worth:
- Bernard Arnault & family (France) - $233 billion
- Elon Musk (United States) - $195 billion
- Jeff Bezos (United States) - $192 billion
- Bill Gates (United States) - $130 billion
- Warren Buffett (United States) - $119 billion
- Larry Page (United States) - $114 billion
- Sergey Brin (United States) - $111 billion
- Larry Ellison (United States) - $100 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg (United States) - $97 billion
- Mukesh Ambani (India) - $96 billion
In the realm of global wealth, the top 10 richest individuals prominently feature eight from the United States, with a notable majority deriving their fortunes from the technology sector. Leading this prestigious list is Bernard Arnault and his family, the powerhouse behind LVMH, with an astounding estimated net worth of $233 billion (£185 billion). Following closely behind is Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur behind Tesla and X (formerly Twitter), securing the second spot with a staggering net worth of $195 billion (£155 billion).
Trailing in third is Jeff Bezos, the mastermind behind Amazon. Although Mr. Musk's wealth has experienced an 8% increase from the previous year, it falls short of his net worth in November 2021, when he achieved the unprecedented milestone of being the first person ever to possess a fortune of $300 billion (£239 billion). Notably, the Forbes list welcomes new additions, including basketball icon Magic Johnson, boasting a wealth of $1.2 billion (£950 million), and television producer Dick Wolf, renowned for the hit US series "Law and Order" and "Chicago PD," also commanding a net worth of $1.2 billion.
Reflecting on the extraordinary year for the world's wealthiest individuals, Chase Peterson-Withorn, senior editor on wealth for Forbes, emphasizes the remarkable emergence of 14 centi-billionaires, individuals with fortunes exceeding $100 billion. Despite prevailing financial uncertainties, the elite class of the super-rich continues to flourish, underscoring their enduring prosperity amidst global economic fluctuations.
The $100 Billion Club
According to Forbes, the cohort of billionaires in 2024 boasts a staggering 255% increase in wealth compared to a decade ago, collectively amassing a jaw-dropping $2 trillion (£1.59 trillion). Remarkably, this means that a mere 0.5% of the world's 2,781 billionaires now hold a whopping 14% of all billionaire wealth.
In terms of geographical distribution, the United States maintains its dominance with a record-breaking 813 billionaires featured on the list. China retains its position as the second-largest hub of billionaires, closely followed by India.
In the United Kingdom, hedge fund magnate Michael Platt reigns as the wealthiest individual, trailed by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, a part-owner of Manchester United, and renowned inventor Sir James Dyson.
Forbes also notes that 189 individuals have fallen off the billionaire list, with 129 hailing from mainland China. This decline is attributed to factors such as weakened consumer spending and a significant downturn in the real estate market, resulting in substantial losses for many portfolios.
Furthermore, the past year witnessed the passing of 32 billionaires, including prominent figures such as Egyptian business tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, and iconic musician Jimmy Buffett, known for his Margaritaville brand.
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