3 hours ago
7
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Beyond its massive size and dense population, Asia is home to some of the wealthiest figures on the planet. According to the Royal Geographical Society with IBG, there are an estimated 140 billionaires on the continent.
This jaw-dropping number is largely due to the activities of the billionaires themselves. The Royal Geographical Society with IBG explains that the retail purchases of these insanely rich Asians are largely contributing to the rising prosperity of Asian countries.
Curious about who tops the list? Here’s a countdown of the top 10 richest people in Asia in 2025.
List of the Richest People in Asia for 2025
The following list is based on the Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List. The net worth of these wealthy individuals is as of the date of this publication: January 15, 2025.
The richest person in Asia in 2025, according to Forbes, will be Mukesh Ambani, with a fortune of nearly US$95 billion, followed by Gautami Adani and Zhong Shanshan in second and third place, respectively. Read on to see the full list.
10. Li Ka-Shing (US$35.3 billion)
Li Ka-Shing, nicknamed "Superman," is one of Asia's richest people, with a staggering fortune of $35.3 billion. An influential figure in Asian business, Li began his journey at the age of 21 by founding Cheung Kong Plastics.
Despite stepping down from his role as chairman of CK Hutchinson Holdings and CK Asset Holdings, Li remains prominent as a senior advisor. What's more, despite his humble beginnings, Li has not forgotten his roots and has donated over US$3.8 billion through his Li Ka Shing Foundation.
9. Savitri Jindal and Family (US$35.7 billion)
Savitri Jindal currently serves as the chairperson of the Jindal Group after the death of her husband, Om Prakash Jindal. The Jindal Group has interests in steel, cement, infrastructure and power.
As of January 2025, the cumulative net worth of Savitri Jindal and her family is nearly $36 billion. Despite her immense wealth, Savitri Jindal maintains a humble profile and continues to help society and communities.
8. Shiv Nadar (US$39.2 billion)
Shiv Nadar's legacy in the IT and software industry is reflected in his leadership of HCL Technologies, one of India's largest software services companies. While amassing a net worth of $39.2 billion, Nadar is actively involved in philanthropic activities.
The Shiv Nadar Foundation, to which Nadar has donated US$1.1 billion, is involved in educational initiatives, according to Forbes.
7. Ma Huateng (US$41.6 billion)
The famous Pony Ma, with a fortune of nearly $42 billion, makes his income from online games. Specifically, Ma Huateng currently heads Tencent Holdings, a Chinese Internet giant that is home to a variety of mobile games.
In addition to Tencent, Ma has also invested in electric car maker Tesla and music streaming service Spotify.
6. Prajogo Pangestu (US$43.2 billion)
With a fortune of $43.2 billion, Prajogo Pangestu has built his net worth on the energy and petrochemical sectors. The Indonesian tycoon experienced a significant increase in his net worth in 2023 following the initial public offerings of his group's two companies, Petrindo Jaya Kreasi and Barito Renewables Energy.
5. Tadashi Yanai and Family (US$43.5 billion)
Fashion enthusiasts should have recognized the well-known Uniqlo. For your information, the fashion brand is managed by Fast Retailing, a clothing empire founded by Tadashi Yanai, one of the richest people in Asia.
Uniqlo's remarkable success has allowed the company to expand rapidly, opening 2,400 stores in 25 countries.
4. Zhang Yiming (US$45.6 billion)
One of Asia's richest individuals, Zhang Yiming is the co-founder of Chinese tech giant ByteDance, which is behind the sensational TikTok. Zhang stepped down as chairman of ByteDance in 2021 but continues to hold a significant stake in the company, with an estimated 21% stake as of May 2024.
3. Zhong Shanshan (US$55 billion)
Named one of the world’s richest Chinese billionaires, Zhong Shanshan's immense fortune is largely due to Nongfu Spring, a bottled water company he founded in 1996. The Hangzhou-born tycoon's influence extends to Wantai Biological, which produces rapid diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, including Covid-19.
2. Gautam Adani (US$59.5 billion)
Gautam Adani's primary source of wealth comes from the Adani Group, whose operations range from ports and airports to green energy. The company is also known as the largest airport operator in India.
1. Mukesh Ambani (US$94.4 billion)
The crown of Asia's richest person goes to Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, whose interests range from oil and gas to media and financial services.
The company is divided into numerous sectors; Jio, for example, is Reliance's telecom and broadband service. It is a prominent service with over 450 million subscribers to date.
Editor's Choice: Forbes' Richest Singaporean in 2024
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
