Forbes’ 35th annual world’s billionaires list, released on Tuesday, reveals a record-breaking 2,755 billionaires, including 493 newcomers—unprecedented by any measure, especially in a year in which large economies around the world were hampered by the coronavirus pandemicAltogether they are worth $13.1 trillion, up from $8 trillion on the 2020 list.
“This was a record-breaking year in multiple ways, with more newcomers than ever before and more billionaires globally,” said Kerry A. Dolan, Assistant Managing Editor, Wealth. “It was also the first time that the combined net worth of the world’s billions crossed into double-digit trillions. The pace at which huge fortunes have been created is astonishing.”
In a comprehensive essay, titled “Operation Wealth Speed,” Chief Content Officer Randall Lane writes: “While the initial reaction to the billionaire surge of 2021 will lean toward outrage, the underlying trends offer a road map to greater prosperity for all. Like anything else salvaged from a once-a-century plague, we just need to be brave enough to harness it.”
Despite the turmoil that we’ve seen, Lane writes, people are defying the odds to overcome challenges, like Tyler Perry, who created his own studios in Atlanta because no one would give him a break in Hollywood, or Uğur Şahin, the Turkish immigrant to Germany whose BioNTech helped produce a Covid-19 vaccine in months, rather than years—all embody economic dynamism.
Key Factoids for the 2021 World’s Billionaires list:
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Top Five: Soon-to-be former Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos retains the top spot on this year’s ranking for the fourth consecutive year. Elon Musk rocketed into the number two spot, up from No. 31 on last year’s ranking. Bernard Arnault of LVMH remains at No. 3, followed by Bill Gates, No. 4. Rounding out the top five on this year’s ranking is Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg. This is the first year Warren Buffett has not been among the top five richest in more than two decades.
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Newcomers: Among the list of notable newcomers is Whitney Wolfe Herd, founder and CEO of dating app Bumble, which went public in February of this year. Here is a look inside this year’s newcomers and their stories.
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Self-Made: The 2021 ranking features a record 1,975 self-made billionaires, who have built a company or established a fortune on their own.
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Women: There are 328 female billionaires, up from 241 in 2020.
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Globally: Asia-Pacific boasts the most billionaires, with 1,149, followed by the United States with 724 and Europe with 628.
The package will be among Forbes’ most visually striking ever and include custom header artwork that takes inspiration from currency around the world. It will also feature sophisticated black-and-white photography of the newcomers and a new interactive element embedded directly into the list itself, allowing our audience to explore each individual billionaire’s wealth stats, key facts and the names of other Forbes lists on which they appear.
How does Forbes make the list?
The Forbes World’s Billionaires list is a snapshot of wealth using stock prices and exchange rates from March 5, 2021. Forbes champions success by celebrating those who have made it, and those who aspire to make it. Forbes convenes and curates the most influential leaders and entrepreneurs who are driving change, transforming business and making a significant impact on the world.
Source: Forbes Magazine
