The 20 richest people in the world have fortunes that range from $44 billion to $126 billion. No matter how you look at it, these 20 people have staggeringly high net worths. From MacKenzie Bezos at #20 to her ex-husband Jeff Bezos at #1, these people come from all walks of life. Some are self-made, others, like the Waltons, inherited their many billions. These fortunes were almost all made in tech and retail and fashion. The top three richest people in the world all have net worths over $100 billion. Can you even imagine having that kind of money? It is insane.
Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, and Bernard Arnault are the only three members of the over $100 billion club. Bezos, of course, revolutionized the way we shop by founding Amazon. Who could have guessed, 25 years ago, that we'd be getting not just books, but lightbulbs and furniture and clothing and groceries delivered within hours of placing the order. That's just what Bezos has done with Amazon across the globe. Gates, of course, helped fuel the fire that was the personal computer revolution of the 1980s by writing the code that makes our PCs work. For that, the Microsoft founder has consistently been at the top of the world's richest list and was only recently unseated by Bezos. Fashion tycoon Bernard Arnault sits at the helm of the world's largest luxury goods conglomerate. His LVMH owns Louis Vuitton, Moet, Tiffany's, Celine, Dior, Fendi, Sephora, and dozens of other companies. The growing demand for luxury goods in China has sent LVHM shares soaring and propelled Arnault into the $100 billion-plus club.
Bernard Arnault (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
MacKenzie Bezos made her debut as a single woman on the list of the world's richest people in 2019. Her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, instantly made her one of the wealthiest women in the world. When her divorce became final she was immediately not just the second-largest-shareholder in Amazon, but also the third-wealthiest in the world. That stake is four percent of the total shares in the massive online retailer, which comes to 19.7 million shares valued, as of this writing, at about $44 billion. The transfer reportedly brought Jeff Bezos's Amazon stake, formerly at 16 percent, down to 12 percent, according to regulatory filings. MacKenzie also joined the Giving Pledge soon after her divorce was final, something her ex has failed to do, despite his obscene wealth.
The other two women on the list of the 20 richest people in the world – Julia Koch and Alice Walton – inherited their fortunes. Julia's late husband was David Koch of Koch Brothers and Koch Industries fame. Alice Walton is, of course, a Walmart heir and perennially on the list of the wealthiest people in the world.
Democratic candidate for President of the United States Michael Bloomberg makes an appearance on this list at #11. His $62 billion fortune makes him by far the wealthiest of the politicians and wannabe politicians currently vying for the Democratic nomination. Donald Trump is the next wealthiest person in the race for the 2020 election. He has a net worth of $3.1 billion.
The 20 richest people in the world have a combined net worth of $1.3 TRILLION.
#20. MacKenzie Bezos – $44 billion
#17. Alice Walton – $50 billion
#17. Jim Walton – $50 billion
#17. Mukesh Ambani – $50 billion
#16. Julia Koch – $51 billion
#15. Rob Walton – $52 billion
#14. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers – $54 billion
#13. Carlos Slim Helu – $55 billion
#12. Charles Koch – $58 billion
#11. Michael Bloomberg – $62 billion
#10. Amancio Ortega – $64 billion
#8. Sergey Brin – $65 billion
#8. Steve Ballmer – $65 billion
#7. Larry Page – $67 billion
#6. Larry Ellison – $70 billion
#5. Mark Zuckerberg – $80 billion
#4. Warren Buffett – $89 billion
#3. Bernard Arnault – $110 billion
#2. Bill Gates – $111 billion
#1. Jeff Bezos – $126 billion
