According to Odaily Odaily, the combined wealth of the world's more than 3,100 billionaires increased by $3.6 trillion this year, reaching a total of $18.7 trillion. Elon Musk's pursuit of a trillion-dollar net worth is no longer just talk. At the beginning of the year, his net worth was $421 billion, and in October he became the first person in history to surpass $500 billion in net worth, making him arguably the biggest winner this year. His net worth increased by more than $333 billion throughout the year, equivalent to an increase of $935 million per day.
Most global stock markets performed well in 2025, boosting the wealth of the super-rich. The S&P 500 returned 17% for the year, while major stock indices in Germany, Japan, and Canada performed even better, with gains of 22%, 26%, and 30%, respectively. Of course, some of the richest individuals fared even better: the ten biggest winners, already incredibly wealthy, saw their net worth increase by over $729 billion in the past year.
Of the top ten wealthiest individuals, six are American billionaires, accounting for over 85% of the total wealth increase. This data clearly shows that a new wave of wealth creation is highly concentrated in this country governed by a billionaire president and whose cabinet members are all extremely wealthy. With surging investment in artificial intelligence and the US striving to gain a leading position in the AI race, the top five wealthiest individuals this year are all giants in the American tech industry. (Forbes)
