Carlos Slim Helu is the richest person in the world with a net worth of $70.6 billion. Carlos Slim Helu's net worth comes from holdings in telecommunications, mining, retail and much more. If you spend $1 in Mexico, allegedly 20 cents goes to Carlos. Slim became the richest person in the world when he passed Bill Gates in 2007, but Gates had a higher peak net worth during the dotcom bubble when his personal fortune was over $100 billion. If Carlos stays on pace, he will likely pass the $100 billion mark in the next 5 years.