Always richer. The fortunes of billionaires increased by $2,000 billion in 2024, three times more than in 2023, indicates Oxfam in its annual report on wealth inequality. This fortune reached 15,000 billion dollars in 2024. There were thus 204 new billionaires in 2024 reports the NGO.
Furthermore, Oxfam “anticipates thatthere will be at least five multi-billionaires whose fortune will exceed $1,000 billion in a decade“while last year, the NGO only saw one person in this situation.
In France, since 2019, the wealth of billionaires has increased by an average of 13 million euros per day. “The total assets of the 500 greatest fortunes in France continue to increase, reaching a record of 1,228 billion euros cumulatively“, indicates Oxfam in its report. “A person among the richest 1% earns in 6 days what a person among the poorest 50% earns in a year,” adds the NGO.
If a large part of these fortunes comes from entrepreneurship, Oxfam explains that 36% of this wealth finds its origin in inheritances. According to a Forbes study published in April 2024, all billionaires under the age of 30 have inherited their fortune.
Elon Musk largely first
Unsurprisingly, and by a long way, Elon Musk occupies first place in the ranking, according to the Bloomberg index updated daily. The fortune of the Tesla boss and future minister of “government efficiency” in the Trump administration amounts to $449 billion. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, and Marc Zuckerberg, the boss of Meta, complete the podium with respectively 245 billion and 217 billion dollars in assets.
The first Frenchman ranks 5th. This is the boss of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, and his fortune of 188 billion dollars. He is also the only non-American personality in this ranking. The first woman is in 15th place. Alice Waltonthe daughter of the founder of Walmart supermarkets, has amassed a fortune of $111 billion. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heiress to the L'Oréal group, is the first Frenchwoman in this ranking. She is 21st with $74.2 billion in assets.
-The ranking of the 10 richest people in the world
1. Elon Musk – $449 billion
2. Jeff Bezos – 245 billion dollars
3. Mark Zuckerberg – $217 billion
4. Larry Ellison – 188 billion dollars
5. Bernard Arnault – 188 billion dollars
6. Larry Page – 174 billion dollars
7. Sergey Brin – 163 billion dollars
8. Bill Gates – 166 billion dollars
9. Steve Ballmer – $149 billion
10. Warren Buffet – 146 billion dollars
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