The richest of the richest are — collectively — $235 billion poorer than they were a year ago, but still have a combined worth of $1.6 trillion.
This year, few have been spared the pain of soaring inflation and buoyant markets. Not even the billionaires who top the 41st annual Forbes list of the 400 Richest Americans . As a group, this year’s top 20 are worth $1.6 trillion, which is $235 billion less than a year ago (representing almost half of the $500 billion lost by the entire Forbes 400).
It’s a sharp change from last year, when — for the first time in history — the 20 richest added $500 billion to their collective fortunes as asset prices soared, accounting for nearly 40% of the 1.3 billion earned by the entire list.
The year’s biggest money loser was Mark Zuckerberg , who has dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since 2014, when shares of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) plunged 57%, helping shave nearly $74 billion off his fortune. of dollars. Eight other tech billionaires in the top 20 — including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin — have lost a combined $188 billion.
Despite those staggering losses, the minimum net worth required to land among this ultra-elite group actually rose slightly, to $37 billion (last year was a record $36 billion), as six of the top 20 managed to boosting their fortunes, including former York City Mayor and Bloomberg LP co-founder Michael Bloomberg; Koch Industries Chairman and CEO Charles Koch; and Julia Koch, the widow of Charles’ late brother David (died 2019).
Four of the top 20 are worth $100 billion or more , down from the eight that hit that figure last year, but up from two in 2020 and none in 2017. And this top 5% of the list can claim the 40% of the $4 trillion total wealth of the 400 richest Americans as of September 2 (the date Forbes calculated net worths for the 2022 list).
No one has won more than Tesla and SpaceX boss Elon Musk, who tops the 400 for the first time , despite being overwhelmed by his $44 billion Twitter takeover, which he has been struggling to undo. Musk, worth an estimated $251bn, is $60.5bn richer than he was a year ago, thanks to an 11% rise in the share price of his electric vehicle maker and a new round of financing. valued its rocket maker at $127 billion. Having overtaken Amazon’s Jeff Bezos as the world’s richest person just weeks after last year’s Forbes 400 ended, Musk is now $100bn richer than his space rival, whose fortune fell $50bn. (the second biggest drop among the 400 this year).
Two other winners, candy heir siblings John Mars and Jaqueline Mars, returned to the top 20 after exiting in 2021 , displacing the two newcomers from last year (and the only top 20 to drop out this year): investor Len Blavatnik (now No.22), whose stake in Warner Music Group has lost almost 30% of its value in the last 12 months; and Stephen Schwarzman (#24), co-founder of alternative investment giant Blackstone.
Here’s a closer look at the 20 richest people on the Forbes 400 Richest Americans in 2022 (net worths as of September 2, 2022):
1. Elon Musk
Net worth: 251 billion (vs. 190.5 billion)
Source: Tesla, SpaceX
2. Jeff Bezos
Net worth: 151 billion (down from 201 billion)
Source: Amazon
3. Bill Gates
Net worth: 106 billion (down from 134 billion)
Source: Microsoft
4. Larry Ellison
Net worth: $101 billion (down from 117.3 billion)
Source: Oracle
5. Warren Buffett
Net worth: 97 billion (down from 102 billion)
Source: Berkshire Hathaway
6. Larry Page
Net worth: 93 billion (down from 123 billion)
Source: Google
7. Sergey Brin
Net worth: 89 billion (vs. 118.5 billion)
Source: Google
8. Steve Ballmer
Net worth: 83 billion (down from 96.5 billion)
Source: Microsoft
9. Michael Bloomberg
Net worth: 76.8 billion (vs. 70 billion)
10. Jim Walton
Net worth: 57.9 billion (vs. 68.8 billion)
Source: Walmart
11. Mark Zuckerberg
Net worth: 57.7 billion (vs. 134.5 billion)
Source: Facebook
13. Charles Koch
Net worth: 56 billion (vs. 51 billion)
Source: Koch Industries
13. Julia Koch and family
Net worth: 56 billion (vs. 51 billion)
Source: Koch Industries
15. Alicia Walton
Net worth: 55.7 billion (vs. 67.9 billion)
Source: Walmart
16. Michael Dell
Net worth: 50 billion (down from 50.1 billion)
Source: Dell
17. Phil Knight and family
Net worth: $41.5 billion (vs. 59.9 billion)
Source: Nike
18. Mackenzie scott
Net worth: $37.7 billion (vs. 58.5 billion)
Source: Amazon
19. Jacqueline Mars
Net worth: 37 billion (vs. 31.8 billion)
Source: Marte Inc.
19. John Mars
Net worth: 37 billion (vs. 31.8 billion)
Source: Marte Inc.
