Focus on the BIG picture.
Thursday, Jun 11, 2026

Taylor Swift, Elon Musk, and Sam Altman Join Record-Breaking Forbes Billionaires List

Taylor Swift and Sam Altman, creator of ChatGPT, have made their first appearances on the Forbes World's Billionaires List with estimated fortunes of $1.1bn and $1bn respectively.
Bernard Arnault and his family topped the chart with a record-breaking $233bn.

There were a total of 2,781 billionaires in 2024, a 141 increase from last year and 26 more than the previous record in 2021.

The collective wealth of the billionaires reached $14.2tn.

Swift joined the list due to her megastar status.

Taylor Swift made history at the Grammy Awards, winning the album of the year prize for the fourth time with her re-recorded album "1989 (Taylor's Version)".

Swift's success extends beyond music, as her attendance at American football games to support her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, reportedly boosted NFL viewership.

In the world of business, eight of the top 10 richest people are from the US, with six of them coming from the technology industry.

Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, is the second-richest person with an estimated net worth of $195bn, followed by Jeff Bezos of Amazon.

Musk's net worth has increased by 8% since last year but is lower than his record-breaking $300bn net worth in November 2021.

Forbes released its list of billionaires for 2024, with Jeff Bezos topping the list with a net worth of $177 billion.

Other notable additions include basketball legend Magic Johnson and TV producer Dick Wolf, each with a net worth of $1.2 billion.

This year saw a record-breaking 14 centi-billionaires and a total wealth of $2 trillion among the 2,781 billionaires, representing a 255% increase from a decade ago.

The US continues to have the most billionaires with 813 on the list.

The text reports on Forbes' latest list of the world's billionaires.

China remains the second-largest country with billionaires, following the US.

The UK is home to the three richest people: hedge fund manager Michael Platt, Sir Jim Ratcliffe (part-owner of Manchester United), and inventor Sir James Dyson.

However, 129 billionaires from mainland China fell off the list due to weak consumer spending and a collapsing real estate market.

Additionally, 32 billionaires died, including Egyptian tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed, former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, former Chilean President Sebastián Piñera, and singer Jimmy Buffett.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Federal Judge Blocks Alabama Nitrogen Gas Execution Method in Landmark Ruling on Cruel Punishment Standards
SpaceX Prepares Record-Breaking Public Offering Valuing Company at US$1.8 Trillion
Indonesia Launches First Global Bond Sale for Danantara Sovereign Wealth Fund
Amnesty International Alleges Systematic Displacement of Palestinians in the West Bank
Global Forced Displacement Nears Record Levels as New Conflicts Deepen Humanitarian Pressures
Ethiopia Expands Budget to Offset Fuel Costs Linked to Middle East Conflict
United States and Iran Exchange Military Strikes as Hormuz Disruption Drives Oil Prices Higher
Trump Presses Congress on Intelligence Leadership and Surveillance Authority Renewal Ahead of Key Expiry Deadline
United States House Approves Seventy Billion Dollar Immigration Enforcement Funding Package After Prolonged Budget Standoff
Global Markets Slide as Middle East Conflict Drives Energy Shock Fears and Inflation Outlook Deteriorates
United States and Iran Exchange Strikes as Conflict Escalates After Helicopter Downing Near Strait of Hormuz
Trump Hosts Governors to Align State and Federal Border Security Operations
Nuclear Regulatory Commission Speeds Approval Path for Small Modular Reactors
Federal Railroad Administration Mandates Real-Time Inspection Systems for Rail Safety
Environmental Protection Agency Boosts Cybersecurity Funding for Rural Utilities
Texas Attorney General Expands Investigations Into Corporate DEI Procurement Policies
Housing Department Tightens Rules on Emotional Support Animals in Federal Housing
SEC Delays Corporate Climate Risk Disclosure Rules Indefinitely
Bureau of Land Management Expands Geothermal Leasing on Federal Lands in Western US
Homeland Security Deploys Advanced Biometric Surveillance Systems Along Southern Border
US Charges Transnational Networks Over Fentanyl Precursor Trafficking Through Mexico
Federal Communications Commission Launches Rural Spectrum Review to Expand 5G Coverage
Trump Escalates Claims of Voting Irregularities in California Primary Processing
Pentagon Approves Long-Term Contracts to Expand Domestic Ammunition Manufacturing
Federal Trade Commission Expands Antitrust Investigations Into Big Tech AI Investments
US Fast-Tracks Recruitment of Cybersecurity Specialists Into Federal Tech Workforce
Medicaid Work Requirements Expanded Under New Federal Interim Rule
NATO Allies Face US Pressure Over Defense Spending Thresholds Ahead of Summit
Supreme Court Signals Limits on SEC Enforcement Powers in Major Administrative Law Dispute
Department of Energy Moves to Refill Strategic Petroleum Reserve Amid Rising Gulf Tensions
US Launches AI Cyber Vulnerability Clearinghouse With Treasury-Led Coordination Across Banks and Utilities
Pentagon Expands Emergency Defense Procurement to Rebuild Munitions and Missile Production Capacity
US Attorney General Orders Expanded Fraud Enforcement Against AI-Enabled Cyberattacks on Critical Infrastructure
Marine Veteran Graham Platner Wins Maine Democratic Senate Primary With Populist Campaign Strategy
Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh Faces Policy Uncertainty as Inflation Models Struggle With Volatile Commodity Data
White House Rolls Out Voluntary Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity Framework While Blocking Mandatory Licensing Rules
Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson Coordinate on Surveillance Authority and Intelligence Leadership Nominations
US House Approves 70 Billion Dollar Border Security Funding Package Extending Immigration Enforcement Through 2029
United States and Iran Escalate Military Strikes as Trump Authorizes Retaliatory Air Operations Near Strait of Hormuz
Trump Announces UFC Event on White House South Lawn
Congress Reviews Proposal to Expand Use of Temporary Healthcare Professionals
Reproductive Rights Advocates Rally in Mississippi Over Contraception Access
Mississippi Authorities Arrest Two Suspects After Deputy Shooting
Melania Trump Hosts White House Artificial Intelligence Innovation Awards
Supreme Court Issues Landmark Ruling on Deprivation of Liberty in Healthcare Settings
Teen Sentenced for Threats Against Georgia Tech and University of North Texas
Defendant Sentenced in Forced Labor Scheme Targeting Agricultural Workers
Federal Prosecutors Charge 26 Alleged Trinitarios Gang Members in Racketeering Case
Federal Contractor Agrees to $21.3 Million Settlement in Veteran Contracting Fraud Case
United States Extradites Former Ghanaian Official in International Anti-Corruption Case
×