Top 10 Richest People in the World 2025: Elon Musk Leads as Tech Billionaires Control £1.44 Trillion Fortune

The world's richest individuals are wealthier than ever, with the global billionaire elite amassing unprecedented fortunes as shares in technology firms soar and artificial intelligence transforms markets.

According to the latest Forbes World's Billionaires ranking, the Top 10 richest people now hold a combined fortune of an astonishing £1.44 trillion ($1.82 trillion), a sum larger than the annual economic output of many countries.

At the top once again is tech mogul Elon Musk, whose personal wealth alone stands at £271 billion ($342 billion), making him the richest person on Earth for 2025.

The list is overwhelmingly dominated by American entrepreneurs, with just two Europeans breaking into the top ten.

Technology tycoons account for eight of the ten places, underlining how digital platforms, cloud computing and artificial intelligence continue to generate the world's largest fortunes.

Here are the Top 10 richest people in the world, according to Forbes, with brief profiles of the billionaires shaping the modern economy.

1. Elon Musk – £271bn ($342bn)

At 53, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk leads the pack as soaring valuations in electric vehicles and space technology drive his fortune higher. Musk also owns social media platform X and runs artificial intelligence start-up xAI. His wealth fluctuates with Tesla's stock price but remains comfortably ahead of all rivals.

2. Mark Zuckerberg – £171bn ($216bn)

Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, 40, has staged a remarkable comeback on the rich list. After early doubts about Meta's pivot into the metaverse, investor enthusiasm returned as the company pushed into AI-powered advertising tools. He remains chairman and CEO of the social media group behind Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads.

3. Jeff Bezos – £170bn ($215bn)

Jeff Bezos, 61, continues to rank near the summit despite stepping away as Amazon's chief executive. His fortune rests on the firm's global retail dominance and Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing giant that generates billions in annual profit. Bezos also owns aerospace company Blue Origin and the Washington Post newspaper.

4. Larry Ellison – £152bn ($192bn)

Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, now 80, remains one of Silicon Valley's most enduring heavyweights. A growing focus on AI infrastructure and cloud services has lifted Oracle's valuation and, with it, Ellison's wealth. He also owns the Hawaiian island of Lanai and fields a top-tier competitive sailing team.

5. Bernard Arnault & Family – £141bn ($178bn)

Europe's richest person, Bernard Arnault, 76, leads the luxury conglomerate LVMH, which spans brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior, Tiffany & Co. and Moët & Chandon. Though demand for luxury goods has softened in some regions, the group's dominance keeps Arnault firmly among the global elite.

6. Warren Buffett – £122bn ($154bn)

At 94, investor legend Warren Buffett remains the oldest billionaire in the top ten. As chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, he oversees stakes in insurance, railroads, energy companies and consumer giants like Apple and Coca-Cola. Buffett is equally famous for pledging to give the vast majority of his fortune to charity.

7. Larry Page – £114bn ($144bn)

Google co-founder Larry Page, 52, has stepped back from day-to-day management of Alphabet but still benefits from the company's commanding dominance in online advertising and artificial intelligence innovation.

8. Sergey Brin – £109bn ($138bn)

Fellow Google founder Sergey Brin, 51, also enjoys surging wealth thanks to Alphabet's booming valuation. Brin has reportedly renewed involvement in AI research as Google races rivals to dominate next-generation technologies.

9. Amancio Ortega – £98bn ($124bn)

Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortega, 89, founded fashion giant Zara and built Inditex into one of the world's largest fast-fashion retailers. Known for his privacy, Ortega has quietly expanded his wealth through major investments in commercial real estate across Europe.

10. Steve Ballmer – £93bn ($118bn)

Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, 69, rounds out the top ten thanks largely to longstanding shareholdings in the tech giant, which continues to thrive on cloud computing and AI products. Outside tech, Ballmer is the billionaire owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.

Tech Titans Rule Global Wealth

Eight of the ten richest people built their fortunes primarily in the technology sector, highlighting how AI, cloud services and digital platforms continue to eclipse more traditional industries.

With innovation accelerating and markets buoyant, analysts believe the collective wealth of the world's richest individuals is likely to rise further, making the £1.44 trillion ($1.82 trillion) held by the top ten today only a stepping stone toward even larger concentrations of global financial power.