The 20 Richest in the World in 2025: American Domination and the AI Boom

Wealth concentration continues to be a fascinating phenomenon for those following global markets. The 2025 billionaire ranking reveals clear trends: American dominance remains virtually intact, while technology and artificial intelligence sectors attract and consolidate the world’s largest fortunes.

US Hegemony in Numbers

Among the ten richest billionaires currently, nine are American. Only one European — Bernard Arnault of the LVMH group — managed to break through this dominance bubble. This setup is no coincidence: it reflects American control over cloud computing, AI, social networks, and digital infrastructure companies.

Tech Giants at the Top of Wealth

Elon Musk leads comfortably, accumulating over $358 billion. His diversification is impressive: besides Tesla, he runs SpaceX (space exploration), xAI (artificial intelligence), and the X platform. Investments in cryptocurrencies — including Bitcoin (currently at $94.14K), Ethereum ($3.20K), and Dogecoin ($0.15) — complement his high-risk portfolio.

Larry Ellison, founder of Oracle, reaches $251 billion with wealth consolidated in databases and cloud computing. Interestingly, he also holds stakes in Tesla, showing how billionaires concentrate their bets on already dominant companies.

The Metaverse and Digital Platform Trio

Mark Zuckerberg remains with $251 billion, building his empire beyond Facebook. Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus form a virtual reality ecosystem positioning Meta as a reference in metaverse and augmented reality.

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, continues with assets above $247 billion. Although he has stepped down as CEO, he still controls AWS — the cloud computing platform that revolutionized the sector — along with investments in Blue Origin.

Google Co-founders Gain Space

Larry Page maintains $165 billion thanks to his vision in AI, aerospace technology, and autonomous vehicles. His colleague Sergey Brin, equally important Google co-founder, totals $154 billion with a focus on autonomous mobility and biotechnology.

Jensen Huang and the AI Boom

NVIDIA’s creator deserves special mention: with $149 billion, Huang has been one of the fastest-growing in the recent ranking. NVIDIA’s GPUs dominate data centers and machine learning globally, positioning him as one of the most critical names in the artificial intelligence era.

Other Notable Names

Steve Ballmer, former Microsoft CEO, accumulates $174 billion. His leadership during the Azure era and cloud strategy left deep marks. Today, he is also known as the owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Warren Buffett, the “Oracle of Omaha,” closes the top ten with $141 billion. As CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, he remains a reference in value investing for millions of global investors.

Complete Ranking: The 20 Richest Billionaires

1. Elon Musk — $358 billion
2. Larry Ellison — $251 billion
3. Mark Zuckerberg — $251 billion
4. Jeff Bezos — $247 billion
5. Steve Ballmer — $174 billion
6. Larry Page — $165 billion
7. Bernard Arnault — $156 billion
8. Sergey Brin — $154 billion
9. Jensen Huang — $149 billion
10. Warren Buffett — $141 billion

Practical Lessons for Investors

Analyzing billionaire trajectories offers valuable insights. Observe recurring patterns:

• Long-term vision: all names on the list think in decades, not quarters
• Betting on expanding sectors: cloud computing, AI, and autonomous mobility dominate
• Strategic diversification: Musk in solar energy, SpaceX, and cryptocurrencies; Buffett in insurance, energy, and railroads
• Cross-holdings: billionaires invest in each other’s companies

The combination of strategic discipline, innovation capacity, and willingness to take calculated risks appears in all cases. There is no single formula for success, but consistency in execution is universal.