The ever-fluctuating world of tech stocks has once again reshuffled the rankings of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
While Elon Musk remains steadfast as the richest person globally, with an estimated net worth of $243.7 billion, recent changes in tech stocks have altered the positions of other billionaires in the top 10.
For the second consecutive month, volatility in the tech sector has rearranged the ranks of more than half of the world’s ten richest individuals.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg reclaimed his spot as the fourth richest person, overtaking Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison. This shift was driven by a nearly $14 billion increase in Zuckerberg’s fortune, which now stands at an estimated $180.5 billion, thanks to a 9% rise in Meta Platforms’ shares during August.
On the other hand, Larry Ellison, who was briefly ahead of Zuckerberg, dropped to the fifth spot. This swap marks just one of several fluctuations between the two billionaires throughout the year.
Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, also experienced a sharp rise, moving up two spots to become the world’s seventh richest person.
Gates’s ascent was largely due to a decline in Google-parent Alphabet’s stock, which trimmed over $6 billion from the fortunes of Google cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
As a result, Page and Brin now rank as the eighth and ninth richest individuals, respectively.
Meanwhile, Amazon chairman Jeff Bezos witnessed the steepest decline among the top 10, with his fortune dropping by $7.8 billion to $197 billion.
Despite this decrease, Bezos remains the second richest person, although the gap between him and Musk widened by nearly $11 billion in just one month.
Also Read: Elon Musk overtakes Jeff Bezos as richest man globally with Ksh. 25.3 trillion net worth
Collectively, the world’s top 10 richest individuals are now worth a staggering $1.66 trillion—up by $31 billion from the previous month.
These billionaires, who represent the pinnacle of wealth, are continuously impacted by the ebb and flow of global markets, particularly in the tech sector.
As of September 1, 2024, at 12 a.m. Eastern time, the following individuals comprise the top 10 richest people on Earth, according to Forbes:
- Elon Musk – $243.7 billion
- Jeff Bezos – $197 billion
- Bernard Arnault & family
- Mark Zuckerberg – $180.5 billion
- Larry Ellison
- Warren Buffett
- Bill Gates
- Larry Page
- Sergey Brin
- Francoise Bettencourt Meyers & family
These rankings point to the dynamic nature of wealth in the tech industry, where fortunes can rise or fall rapidly based on market performance.
