A dozen have $100 billion-plus fortunes, also a record. And admission to this elite club is pricier than ever: A minimum net worth of $3.3 billion is required, up $400 million since 2023. Despite the high bar, 23 newcomers managed to break into the ranks, having grown their fortunes in everything from mundane plastic pipes to cutting-edge artificial intelligence.
1. ELON MUSK
$244 billion SELF-MADE SCORE: 8 SOURCE: Tesla, SpaceX AGE: 53 RESIDENCE: Austin, TX .PHILANTHROPY SCORE:
Tesla's self-proclaimed "technoking" tops The Forbes 400 for the third straight year, despite losing $7 billion as shares of his electric vehicle maker fell 14% and a Delaware judge voided $56 billion of his stock options in January. In May, Musk's new AI startup, XAI, raised $6 billion at a $24 billion valuation. A month later, his rocket maker, SpaceX, launched a tender offer valuing the company at around $210 billion, up from nearly $180 billion. In an X post seen by 220 million, Musk endorsed Donald Trump within an hour of the assassination attempt on the former president. Trump now vows to name Musk to a new government efficiency commission if elected.
2. JEFF BEZOS
$197 billion✶ SELF-MADE SCORE: SOURCE: Amazon AGE: 60 RESIDENCE: Miami, FL .PHILANTHROPY SCORE:
Since last summer, Bezos has snapped up three homes on Miami's "billionaire bunker" island for $234 million. He has the cash: Since moving to tax-friendly Florida last November, the Amazon founder has offloaded more than $8 billion (pretax) of his shares; he still owns 9% of...
1. ELON MUSK
$244 billion SELF-MADE SCORE: 8 SOURCE: Tesla, SpaceX AGE: 53 RESIDENCE: Austin, TX .PHILANTHROPY SCORE:
Tesla's self-proclaimed "technoking" tops The Forbes 400 for the third straight year, despite losing $7 billion as shares of his electric vehicle maker fell 14% and a Delaware judge voided $56 billion of his stock options in January. In May, Musk's new AI startup, XAI, raised $6 billion at a $24 billion valuation. A month later, his rocket maker, SpaceX, launched a tender offer valuing the company at around $210 billion, up from nearly $180 billion. In an X post seen by 220 million, Musk endorsed Donald Trump within an hour of the assassination attempt on the former president. Trump now vows to name Musk to a new government efficiency commission if elected.
2. JEFF BEZOS
$197 billion✶ SELF-MADE SCORE: SOURCE: Amazon AGE: 60 RESIDENCE: Miami, FL .PHILANTHROPY SCORE:
Since last summer, Bezos has snapped up three homes on Miami's "billionaire bunker" island for $234 million. He has the cash: Since moving to tax-friendly Florida last November, the Amazon founder has offloaded more than $8 billion (pretax) of his shares; he still owns 9% of...
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Forbes (Digital) - 1 Issue, October - November 2024