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Top Richest Men in the world– May 2025 Update

Published by Tope Fakinlede on May 1st, 2025.

Top Richest Men in the world– May 2025 Update

As May begins, the net worths of seven out of the ten richest individuals on the planet have seen an increase compared to the previous month. Leading the pack is Elon Musk, whose fortune surged by $46 billion in April, reaching an estimated $386.5 billion. This growth was largely driven by a 7% rebound in Tesla’s stock after an early-month dip.

Overall, the gains among the wealthiest coincide with a modest 0.7% rise in the Nasdaq, even as the S&P 500 declined by 1.1%. Market movements were influenced by economic uncertainties, including tariff-related announcements from President Trump and broader concerns about a potential recession. These conditions have prompted many business leaders to hold off on launching new projects or investments.

Spanish billionaire Amancio Ortega, founder of Inditex—the parent company of Zara—posted the second-largest gain in wealth among the top 10. His net worth grew by nearly $9 billion, fueled by a 2% rise in Inditex stock and a roughly 5% appreciation in the Euro relative to the U.S. dollar. Ortega now holds an estimated $123.3 billion.

Meanwhile, luxury mogul Bernard Arnault saw his wealth decline. Despite a stronger Euro, LVMH shares dropped more than 15% following underwhelming Q1 earnings. Sales were down 3% in the U.S. and 11% in Asia (excluding Japan), particularly at Sephora. This dip shaved nearly $15 billion off Arnault’s fortune, though he remains the sixth richest globally.

Two other major names also experienced declines: Jeff Bezos lost $5.3 billion, while Mark Zuckerberg’s net worth decreased by $9.3 billion.

In total, the combined net worth of the top ten billionaires now stands at approximately $1.77 trillion—$40 billion more than at the start of April.

Forbes has been tracking billionaire wealth since 1987. As of April 2025, the global count reached 3,028 billionaires, featured in its annual list. Below are the ten richest individuals as of May 1, 2025:

Top 10 Richest People (as of May 1, 2025):

1. Elon Musk

2. Jeff Bezos

3. Mark Zuckerberg

4. Larry Ellison

5. Warren Buffett

6. Bernard Arnault

7. Larry Page

8. Sergey Brin

9. Amancio Ortega

10. Steve Ballmer

Note: Net worth figures fluctuate regularly due to changes in stock prices. Forbes updates real-time wealth estimates daily.