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TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Several well-known entrepreneurs topped the list of the richest people in the world in the first month of 2025. These individuals have successfully diversified their businesses across various sectors, including technology, e-commerce, fashion, and space exploration.
Forbes' Real-Time Billionaires list, updated for the beginning of 2025, features names like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg as the wealthiest individuals as of January 31, 2025.
Here is a list of the 10 richest people in the world according to the American business magazine.
1. Elon Musk
Leading the list is Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, owner of the X social media platform (formerly Twitter), and founder of the xAI artificial intelligence startup. His fortune is estimated at US$419.2 billion
SpaceX, founded in 2002, had a market value of US$350 billion based on private stock transactions in December 2024, with Musk owning an estimated 42% of the shares. Musk's 2022 acquisition of Twitter for US$44 billion saw the company's value, now X, drop by nearly 70% by August 2024, according to Forbes. He also holds approximately 54% of xAI, which was valued at US$50 billion in November 2024, according to private investor reports.
2. Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 and successfully developed it into the largest e-commerce company in the world. Although he stepped down as CEO in 2021, he remains Chairman and oversees major projects such as Blue Origin and The Washington Post.
His fortune, amounting to US$247.4 billion, mostly comes from Amazon shares. His 2021 spaceflight with Blue Origin is a notable achievement for the 61-year-old entrepreneur.
3. Mark Zuckerberg
Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook at the age of 19, which has now successfully evolved into Meta, the parent company of Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads. In early 2025, his wealth is recorded at US$237.1 billion.
Zuckerberg took Facebook public in 2012 and currently holds around 13% of the company's shares. In 2021, Facebook officially changed its name to Meta as a strategic move to expand its business focus into the metaverse.
4. Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison is the Chairman, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and one of the founders of the major software company, Oracle, where he owns about 40 percent of its shares. After serving as CEO for 37 years, he stepped down in 2014.
Oracle's growth has been fueled partly by acquisitions, including the purchase of Cerner, a provider of electronic medical record services, worth US$28.3 billion in 2021. Ellison also served on Tesla's board of directors from December 2018 to August 2022, with ownership of 45 million adjusted shares before he resigned. His wealth now amounts to US$213.6 billion.
5. Bernard Arnault and Family
Bernard Arnault and his family lead LVMH, a conglomerate of 75 renowned fashion and cosmetics brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, and Sephora. In 2021, LVMH successfully acquired Tiffany & Co, an American jewelry company, for US$15.8 billion, hailed as the largest acquisition in the luxury brand sector.
Through its parent company, Agache, Arnault also supports Agla Ventures, a venture capital firm that has invested in various businesses, including Netflix and ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok. The wealth of the 75-year-old entrepreneur amounts to US$192 billion.
6. Larry Page
Larry Page is one of the founders of Google with a fortune of US$165.2 billion. Together with Sergey Brin, he created the PageRank algorithm that forms the basis of Google's search engine. In 2019, Larry Page stepped down as CEO of Alphabet, Google's parent company, but remained a board member and controlling shareholder.
7. Sergey Brin
As the co-founder of Google, Sergey Brin has a wealth of US$157.6 billion. Although he stepped down as President of Alphabet in December 2019, he remains a controlling shareholder and a member of the company's board.
Google went public in 2004 and then operated under a parent company called Alphabet since 2015. Brin is also known to have invested around US$250 million in LTA Research, a project focusing on the development of advanced air technology.
8. Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett, known as the 'Oracle of Omaha', is one of the most successful investors in history. He leads Berkshire Hathaway, which manages many companies, including Geico Insurance, Duracell battery manufacturer, and Dairy Queen restaurants.
In 2010, he and Bill Gates launched the Giving Pledge, an initiative that encourages billionaires to donate at least half of their wealth to charitable activities. His wealth is valued at US$147.5 billion.
9. Amancio Ortega
Amancio Ortega is a successful Spanish entrepreneur in the fashion business, especially with his brand Zara. He initially founded Inditex in 1975, which grew into a network of businesses including Zara. Ortega owns around 60 percent of the shares of Inditex, listed on the Madrid stock exchange.
Under this company, Ortega also holds eight other renowned clothing brands, including Massimo Dutti and Pull & Bear, as well as 7,500 stores worldwide. He also invests his wealth in real estate in Madrid, Barcelona, London, Chicago, Miami, and New York. His wealth is now valued at US$123.2 billion.
10. Steve Ballmer
Next on the list of the richest people in the world at the beginning of 2025 is Steve Ballmer. The former CEO of Microsoft is recorded to have a wealth of US$122.9 billion. He led the company from 2000 to 2014, through tough times such as the first dot-com boom and intense competition in the search and mobile phone sectors.
As the 30th employee of Microsoft, Ballmer played a crucial role in transforming the company into a modern technology giant. When he retired from Microsoft, he bought the NBA team Los Angeles Clippers for US$2 billion. Forbes now values the team at U$4.65 billion.
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