Billionaires play a huge role in shaping the global economy, politics and philanthropy. Forbes expects the number of billionaires in the world to be 2,668 in 2022. The richest of them belong to a higher club and have more power. Many of these billionaires are founders of tech giants, and most of their wealth is still invested in the companies they founded.
However, you can still borrow against these assets to avoid selling the stock while deferring (or exempting heirs from taxes on unrealized capital gains). Billionaires can also benefit from various tax breaks to help offset reported income. Some of the people on this list have not paid income tax in recent years.
Because they hold so much wealth in publicly traded stocks, the net worth of the richest can fluctuate with market valuations. For example, the net worth of Elon Musk, the founder and CEO of Tesla Inc. (TSLA) and the world’s richest man, will rise in 2021 as Tesla shares (he currently owns 17% of the company) ) and increase — Tesla stock will rise nearly 50% in 2021.
By contrast, Meta Platforms Inc. (FB) founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg fell out of the top 10 in February 2022, when Meta’s stock tumbled after a disappointing earnings report. Zuckerberg’s net worth drops by $40 billion in 2022.
Here are the 10 richest people in the world as of the same date, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Ústredná téza
-
Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk is the richest person in the world with a net worth of $273 billion.
-
Musk is backed by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose net worth is estimated at $188 billion.
-
Billionaires with the biggest wealth gains in 2021 include Elon Musk, LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, Google co-founder Larry Page and L’Oreal heiress François Bay Danggu Meyers.
-
Aside from Arnault, Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett and Adani Group founder Gautam Adani, seven of the top 10 billionaires made their fortunes in tech.
1. Elon Musk
-
Age: 50
-
Residence: Texas
-
Co-founder and CEO: Tesla
-
Net worth: $273 billion
-
Tesla ownership interest: 17% ($187 billion)
-
Other assets: Space exploration technology ($40.3 billion in private assets), $5.7 billion in cash
Elon Musk was born in South Africa and attended universities in Canada before transferring to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and economics. Two days after taking a graduate course in physics at Stanford University, Musk delayed his attendance to launch Zip2, one of the first online navigation services. He reinvested some of the startup’s earnings to create X.com, an online payment system, which was sold to eBay Inc. (EBAY), which eventually became PayPal Holdings Inc. (PYPL).
In 2004, Musk became the chief financier of Tesla Motors (now Tesla), thereby becoming CEO of the electric car company. In addition to its electric vehicle lineup, Tesla also produces energy storage devices, auto parts, and solar power systems through its acquisition of SolarCity in 2016. Musk is also the CEO and chief engineer of space rocket developer Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX).
Tesla shares have soared 740% in 2020, propelling Musk to elevate Muck’s wealth rankings. In December 2020, Tesla joined the S&P 500 as the largest new addition. In January 2021, Musk became the richest person in the world (a title he has held ever since).
In a tweet dated November 6, 2021, Musk responded to criticism of unrealized capital gains as a tax haven by asking his Twitter viewers if they should sell their 10% stake in Tesla. He then sold Valued for the remainder of 2021 for $16.4 billion.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, cited media reports that Musk did not pay income tax for 2018 to advocate for a wealth tax. “If you open your eyes for 2 seconds, you realize that this year I will pay more in taxes than any American in history,” Musk replied on Twitter.
Musk’s lead in the global wealth rankings continues to grow thanks to a rally in Tesla stock in 2021 and a private deal that drives SpaceX’s reported valuation. His net worth peaked at $340 billion in November 2021. Musk’s net worth has grown by 60% over the past year (ended April 1, 2022).
2. Jeff Bezos
-
Age: 58
-
Residence: Washington
-
Founder and CEO: Amazon (AMZN)
-
Net worth: $188 billion
-
Amazon ownership interest: 10% ($163 billion)
-
Other assets: Blue Origin ($9.15 billion in private equity), The Washington Post ($250 million in private equity) and $15.6 billion in cash17
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in a Seattle garage in 1994, shortly after taking a job at hedge fund giant D.E. show. He initially pitched the idea of opening an online bookstore to his disinterested former boss, David E. Shaw.
Although Amazon.com started out selling books, it has evolved into a one-stop shop for everything and is arguably the largest retailer in the world. Amazon’s pattern of continued diversification is evident in some of its unexpected expansions, including its 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods and its entry into the pharmacy business the same year.
Bezos owned 16% of Amazon in 2019 before transferring 4% to his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott as part of the divorce proceedings. Shares of Amazon have risen 76% in 2020 amid increased demand for online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 5, 2021, Bezos stepped down as the e-commerce giant’s CEO to become its chairman.
Bezos originally took Amazon public in 1997 and became the first person to surpass $100 billion in net worth since Bill Gates in 1999. 23 Bezos’ other businesses include aerospace company Blue Origin and The Washington Post (which he bought). 2013) and the 10,000-year clock – also known as Long Now.
On July 20, 2021, Bezos, his brother Mark, aviation pioneer Wally Funk and Dutch student Oliver Daemen completed Blue Origin’s first successful manned flight, reaching an altitude of more than 66 miles before landing safely. Bezos’ fortune peaked at $211 billion in the same month.
3. Bernard Arnault
-
Age: 73
-
Residence: Paris, France
-
Chief Executive Officer and Chairman: LVMUY
-
Net worth: $148 billion
-
Christian Dior ownership interest: 97.5% (total $120 billion)
-
Other assets: Moelis & Company stock ($22.6 billion public wealth), Hermès stock (undisclosed holding) and $10.7 billion in cash
French national Bernard Arnault is chairman and chief executive of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury goods company. LVMH owns brands including Louis Vuitton, Hennessy, Marc Jacobs and Sephora.
Much of Arnault’s wealth comes from his large stake in Christian Dior SE, the holding company that controls 41.3 percent of LVMH. His stake in Christian Dior SE and another 6.2 percent in LVMH are held by his family holding company, Groupe Familial Arnault.
A trained engineer, Arnault first demonstrated his business acumen while working for his father’s construction firm Ferret-Savinel, which he took over in 1971. In 1979 he turned Ferret-Savinel into a real estate company called Férinel Inc.
Arnault continued to be chairman of Férinel for six years until 1984, when he acquired and restructured luxury goods manufacturer Financière Agache and eventually sold all but Christian Dior and Le Bon Marché. 32 He was invited to invest in LVMH in 1987 and became the company’s majority shareholder, chairman and chief executive two years later. 3331
4. Bill Gates
-
Age: 66
-
Residence: Washington
-
Co-founder: Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft)
-
Net worth: $133 billion
-
Microsoft ownership interest: 1.3% ($31.9 billion)
-
Other assets: Cascade Investment LLC ($59.2 billion in public assets), $56.9 billion in cash
While attending Harvard in 1975, Bill Gates worked with childhood friend Paul Allen to develop new software for the original microcomputer. With the success of the project, Gates left Harvard in his junior year to start Microsoft with Allen.
The world’s largest software company, Microsoft also makes personal computers, publishes books through Microsoft Press, provides e-mail services through its Exchange server, and sells video game systems and related peripherals. He was named chairman of the board in 2008. He joined Berkshire Hathaway’s board of directors in 2004. On March 13, 2020, he resigned from both boards.
Bill Gates invests the majority of his net worth in Cascade Investment LLC. Cascade is a private investment vehicle that owns various stocks including Canadian National Railway (CNR), Deere (DE) and Republic Services (RSG), as well as private investments in real estate and energy.
The world’s largest software company, Microsoft also makes personal computers, publishes books through Microsoft Press, provides e-mail services through its Exchange server, and sells video game systems and related peripherals. He was named chairman of the board in 2008. He joined Berkshire Hathaway’s board of directors in 2004. On March 13, 2020, he resigned from both boards.
Bill Gates invests the majority of his net worth in Cascade Investment LLC. Cascade is a private investment vehicle that owns various stocks including Canadian National Railway (CNR), Deere (DE) and Republic Services (RSG), as well as private investments in real estate and energy.
In 2000, two of Gates’ philanthropic organizations — the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation — merged to form the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which is still run by Gates and He is co-led by his ex-wife Melinda France Gates. Through the foundation, they have spent billions fighting polio and malaria. The foundation pledged $50 million in 2014 to fight Ebola. 46 Through 2021, the foundation has spent more than $1.9 billion to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2010, Bill Gates, along with Warren Buffett, launched the Giving Pledge, an initiative that encourages the wealthy to give the majority of their wealth to charitable causes. Bill and Melinda French Gates divorced on August 2, 2021. About $5 billion in stock transferred to France’s Gates following divorce.
5. Warren Buffett
-
Age: 91
-
Residence: Nebraska
-
CEO: Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)
-
Net worth: $127 billion
-
Ownership interest in Berkshire Hathaway: 16% ($126 billion)
-
Other assets: $1.15 billion in cash50
In 1944, Warren Buffett, the most famous living value investor, filed his first tax return at the age of 14, declaring his childhood earnings from his paper business. 51 In 1962, he first bought a stake in a textile company called Berkshire Hathaway and became the controlling shareholder in 1965. In 1967, he expanded his business into insurance and other investments. Berkshire Hathaway is now a $705 billion company with a single stock (Class A share) trading at over $527,760 on April 1, 2022.
Widely known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” Buffett is a buy-and-hold investor who built his fortune by acquiring undervalued companies. More recently, Berkshire Hathaway has invested in large, well-known companies. Its wholly-owned subsidiary’s portfolio includes insurance, energy distribution and rail, and consumer goods. 55 Buffett is a well-known Bitcoin skeptic.
Buffett spends most of his fortune on philanthropy. Between 2006 and 2020, he gave away $41 billion, most of which went to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and its children’s charities. In 2010, Buffett co-founded the Giving Pledge with Bill Gates.
Buffett, 91, remains CEO, but in 2021 he has hinted at who his successor might be – Gregor Abel. Abel is the head of Berkshire’s non-insurance business.
6. Larry Page
-
Age: 48
-
Residence: California
-
Co-founder and board member: Alphabet (GOOG)
-
Net worth: $125 billion
-
Alphabet ownership interest: 6% ($109.6 billion total)
-
Other assets: $14.9 billion in cash59
Like several tech billionaires on this list, Larry Page began his journey to fame and fortune in his college dorm room. While attending Stanford University in 1995, Page and his friend Sergey Brin came up with the idea of improving data extraction from the Internet. The pair developed a new search engine technology they called “backrub,” named for the ability to analyze “backed links.” Since then, Page and Brin founded Google in 1998, with Page serving as the company’s CEO until 2001 and again from 2011 to 2019.
Google is the dominant internet search engine, accounting for more than 92% of global searches. In 2006, the company acquired YouTube, the top platform for user-submitted videos. After acquiring Android, Inc. in 2005, Google released the Android mobile operating system in 2008. Google was restructured in 2015 to become a subsidiary of holding company Alphabet.
Page was one of the early investors in Planetary Resources, a space exploration and asteroid mining company. Founded in 2009, the company was acquired by blockchain firm ConsenSys in 2018 due to funding issues. He has also shown interest in flying car companies, investing in Kitty Hawk and Opener. Shares of Google have soared nearly 50% in 2021, putting Page and Brin on the list of billionaires. Page’s net worth has increased from just under $52 billion in March 2020 to $125 billion today.
7. Sergey Brin
-
Age: 48
-
Residence: California
-
Co-founder and board member: Alphabet (GOOG)
-
Net worth: $119 billion
-
Alphabet ownership interest: 6% ($104.4 billion total)
-
Other assets: $15 billion in cash69
Sergey Brin was born in Moscow, Russia, and moved to the United States with his family in 1979 when he was 6 years old. After co-founding Google with Larry Page in 1998, Brin became Google’s president of technology in 2001 when Eric Schmidt took over as CEO. After launching in 2015, he held the same position at Alphabet holdings before stepping down in 2019 when Sundar Pichai took over. manage.
In addition to its dominant internet search engine, Google also offers a range of online tools and services known as Google Workspace, including Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Google Chat, Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Slides, and more. Google also offers a variety of electronic devices, including Pixel smartphones, computers and tablets, Nest smart home devices and gaming platform Stadia.
Brin spent much of 2019 focused on X, Alphabet’s research lab responsible for innovations like Waymo’s self-driving car and Google Glass smart glasses. He also donated millions of dollars to Parkinson’s disease research and collaborated with the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Last year, Brin’s wealth increased by more than 25%.
8. Steve Ballmer
-
Age: 66
-
Residence: Washington
-
Owner: Los Angeles Clippers
-
Net worth: $108 billion
-
Microsoft ownership interest: 4% ($98.8 billion total)
-
Other assets: Los Angeles Clippers ($3.16 billion in private assets), $5.93 billion in cash76
Steve Ballmer joined Microsoft in 1980 after Bill Gates convinced him to drop out of Stanford’s MBA program. He is Microsoft’s 30th employee. Ballmer succeeded Gates as Microsoft CEO in 2000. He held this position until his retirement in 2014. Ballmer oversaw Microsoft’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype in 2011.
Ballmer owns about 4% of Microsoft, making it the software giant’s largest single shareholder. In 2014, shortly after stepping down as Microsoft CEO, Ballmer bought the Los Angeles Clippers for $2 billion.
Ballmer and Bill Gates lived in the same dorm and on the same floor, while the two attended Harvard University. The “brother” relationship between the two became strained when Ballmer began pushing the tech company into hardware such as Surface tablets and Windows Phones during his tenure as CEO.
9. Larry Ellison
-
Age: 77
-
Residence: Hawaii
-
Co-founder, Chairman and CTO: Oracle (ORCL)
-
Net worth: $103 billion
-
Oracle ownership interest: 40% ($68.4 billion)
-
Other assets: Tesla equity ($16.3 billion in public assets), $17.6 billion in cash and real estate.
Larry Ellison was born in New York City to a 19-year-old single mother. After dropping out of the University of Chicago in 1966, Ellison moved to California to work as a computer programmer. In 1973, he joined the electronics company Ampex, where he met future partners Ed Oates and Bob Miner. Three years later, Ellison joined Precision Instruments as the company’s vice president of research and development.
In 1977, Ellison co-founded the Software Development Laboratory (SDL) with Oates and Miner. Two years later, the company released Oracle, the first commercial relational database program to use the Structured Query Language. 80 The database program was so popular that in 1982 SDL changed its name to Oracle Systems Corporation. Ellison stepped down as Oracle CEO in 2014 after 37 years. He joined Tesla’s board of directors in December 2018.
Oracle is the world’s second largest software company, offering a variety of cloud computing programs as well as Java and Linux code and the Oracle Exadata computing platform. Oracle has acquired a number of major companies, including PeopleSoft, a provider of human resource management systems, in 2005, Siebel, a provider of customer relationship management applications, in 2006, BEA Systems, a provider of enterprise infrastructure software, in 2008, and hardware and software in 2009.85 Developer Sun Microsystems. In December 2021, Oracle agreed to sell medical records software provider Cerner Corp. (CERN) for $28.3 billion in cash.
Long known for his luxury spending, Ellison has invested heavily in luxury real estate over the past decade. Perhaps his most impressive acquisition was the $300 million purchase in 2012 of nearly all of the Hawaiian island of Lanai, where the billionaire has lived since 2020. Ellison built a hydroponic farm and luxury spa on the island.
Ellison focused his philanthropy on medical research. In 2016, he donated $200 million to USC for a new cancer research center. 88 Ellison supported the Oracle Team USA sailing team, which won the America’s Cup in 2010 and 2013.
10. Gautam Adani
-
Age: 59
-
Residence: Gurgaon, India
-
Founder and Chairman: Adani Group
-
Net worth: $100 billion
-
Adani Enterprises, Power. Transfer ownership interest: 75% each ($51.3 billion)
-
Other assets: 65% of Adani Green Energy ($23.4 billion in public assets), 61% of Adani Green Energy ($24.3 billion in public assets), 37% of Adani Total Gas ($12.2 billion in public assets)
The founder of Adani Group, Gautam Adani, will surpass Mukesh Ambani as Asia’s richest man in March 2022. Adani, through its interests in the Adani Group, owns major stakes in six major Indian companies, including 75% in Adani Enterprises, Adani Power and Adani Drives, and 65% in Adani Ports and Special Economic Zones. 61% of Adani Green Energy and 37% of Adani Total Gas.
Adani dropped out of college to work in the diamond industry. Adani now has the largest port operator and is closely linked to thermal coal producers and coal traders in India. In 2020, he acquired a 74% stake in Mumbai International Airport, India’s second-busiest airport. The billionaire was kidnapped and held for ransom in 1997. Adani was also at the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai during the 2008 terrorist attack.
Konečný výsledok
If you want to get closer to the ranking of the richest billionaires, you may need to become a technology innovator or luxury retail thought leader. Or you can keep it simple and focus on value investing. It’s okay to be rich. However, the greatest wealth on this list begins with the bright ideas that creative, motivated, and connected people use to build some of the world’s largest companies.
POZRI TIEŽ!
