Copyright timesnownews
The world’s billionaire class has hit a record high , 3,508 individuals collectively holding $13.4 trillion in wealth, a 10.3% jump from last year, according to the latest Altrata Global Billionaire Census cited by The Wall Street Journal. And once again, Americans dominate the global rich list. The United States accounts for 1,135 billionaires, or roughly one-third of the total, whose combined fortunes represent 43% of the world’s billionaire wealth , approximately $5.7 trillion. Europe Surges, Asia Slows While North America remains the largest billionaire hub, Europe crossed 1,000 billionaires for the first time since Altrata began tracking data over a decade ago. The continent’s surge is led by France’s Bernard Arnault, the LVMH luxury titan worth $236.4 billion, and Germany’s Dieter Schwarz of Lidl, valued at $45.9 billion. By contrast, China slipped, with 321 billionaires now holding about 10% of global billionaire wealth. The country’s list includes Zhong Shanshan of Nongfu Spring ($79.9 billion) and Pony Ma of Tencent ($71.5 billion). India’s Billionaires Hold Steady India, home to $400 billion in billionaire wealth, continues to rank among the top five globally, according to Altrata’s estimates. The country’s strong showing underscores the sustained rise of private enterprise and tech-driven wealth, even as new billionaires emerge from manufacturing, renewable energy, and pharmaceuticals. AI Boom Fuels US Superrich The AI boom has widened the wealth gap even among billionaires, with US -based tech leaders reaping the largest gains. WSJ notes that Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg have seen their fortunes swell sharply due to soaring valuations in electric vehicles, space tech, and social media platforms. Between 2015 and 2025, billionaire wealth in the technology sector surged 198%, the fastest among all industries. Hospitality and entertainment followed with 146%, while healthcare, banking, and manufacturing posted more moderate growth. Billionaire Turnover Slows Market volatility can often push individuals on or off the billionaire list , but 2024 saw fewer such exits. Only 3.4% of billionaires worth above $2 billion dropped off the list, compared with 13.6% in 2022, according to Altrata’s Wealth-X data. One notable omission: Britain’s King Charles III, whose estimated $770 million fortune falls below the $4.2 billion cutoff to qualify for the list.
