The Top 7 Richest People in the World — 2024 Update

Samy Julian
Write A Catalyst
Published in
3 min readFeb 7, 2024
Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

Let’s take a closer look at the top 7 richest people in the world as of February 2024, and see how they’ve earned their fortunes.

Number 1 will surprise you!

7. Bill Gates — $123 Billion

Bill Gates is a business mogul, software developer, and philanthropist. He co-founded Microsoft Corporation, which became the world’s largest personal-computer software company.

His source of wealth primarily comes from his ownership of Microsoft and his investments in various other companies. He is also known for his philanthropy through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on global health, education, and poverty alleviation.

6. Warren Buffett — $129 Billion

Warren Buffett is a serial investor, business tycoon, and philanthropist. He is the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a multinational conglomerate holding company based in the United States.

Warren Buffett is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors in the world and got his wealth primarily through his long-term investments.

His investment philosophy and annual letters to shareholders have made him a highly influential figure in the world of finance. He also has pledged to donate the majority of his wealth to charity, primarily through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

5. Larry Ellison — $143 Billion

Larry Ellison is an entrepreneur and businessman best known as the co-founder, executive chairman, and former CEO of Oracle Corporation, one of the world’s largest enterprise software companies.

His source of wealth primarily comes from his ownership stake in Oracle, which provides a wide range of software and cloud computing services to businesses worldwide. Larry Ellison is known for his aggressive business tactics, innovative leadership style, and lavish lifestyle. He is also involved in various philanthropies, including medical research and environmental conservation.

4. Mark Zuckerberg — $160 Billion

Mark Zuckerberg is an innovator, best known as the co-founder and CEO of Facebook. He co-founded Facebook in 2004 while he was a student at Harvard University.

His primary source of wealth comes from his major ownership stake in Facebook. His philanthropic activities include the establishment of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which focuses on education, healthcare, and scientific research.

3. Jeff Bezos — $191 Billion

Jeff Bezos is an entrepreneur and business mogul who is best known as the founder and former CEO of Amazon. He founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore and played a major role in its transformation into a global e-commerce and technology giant.

His primary source of wealth comes from his ownership stake in Amazon, which operates a wide range of businesses, including e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence.

Jeff Bezos is also involved in various other ventures, including aerospace company Blue Origin and The Washington Post newspaper.

2. Elon Musk — $196 Billion

Elon Musk is a serial entrepreneur and businessman known for his leadership roles in several technology companies.

He is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. He is also the founder of The Boring Company and Neuralink.

Elon Musk’s primary source of wealth comes from his ownership stakes in these companies, particularly Tesla and SpaceX.

1. Bernard Arnault — $210 Billion

The richest man in the world, Bernard Arnault is a billionaire businessman and the chairman and CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy — Louis Vuitton SE, popularly known as LVMH.

LVMH is the world’s largest luxury goods company and includes brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Sephora, Moët & Chandon, and Hennessy.

Bernard Arnault’s primary source of wealth comes from his ownership and leadership of LVMH, which operates in sectors such as fashion, cosmetics, jewelry, and wine and spirits.

What I noticed about these filthy rich people is the years of silent work they put in, and their passion for philanthropy. It seems the more you put in or give, the more you receive. Did anyone on the list surprise you? Share in the comments, please.

--

--

Samy Julian
Write A Catalyst

For tips on building an email list, starting a newsletter, achieving success on Medium, & blogging, subscribe for free: https://medium.com/@SamyJulian/subscribe