Top ten wealthiest people on the planet in May 2024

de2f2215 8068 4081 982e 654798d6bd00

In the high-stakes game of global wealth where the wealth of some select individuals on the planet plays a huge role in the lives of millions, Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) sits atop as of May 1, 2024, according to Forbes.

According to the American business magazine Forbes' real-time billionaires list, Arnault, the head of the luxury empire remains the world's richest person with a $209.4 billion net worth, despite a recent $17 billion dip in LVMH's stock value.

Hot on the Frenchman's heels is Tesla's Elon Musk, with a net worth of $199.6 billion. Musk briefly fell to third place in April 2024 when Amazon founder Jeff Bezos overtook him. However, according to Forbes, a 15% surge in Tesla's stock on April 29, 2024, boosted Musk's wealth by $14.5 billion, securing his second-place position.

Bezos now sits in third place with a net worth of $193.3 billion while Mark Zuckerberg of Meta holds fourth place with a net worth of $151.2 billion.

Among the top 10 wealthiest individuals, Microsoft founder Bill Gates, once the world's richest person for nearly three decades, now ranks ninth with a net worth of $128 billion. Steve Ballmer, another Microsoft veteran, rounds out the list with a net worth of $117.1 billion.

The wealthiest woman on the list is Francoise Bettencourt Meyers of France, ranked 15th globally with a net worth of $95.4 billion. Meyers’ wealth stems from her ownership stake in cosmetics giant L'Oréal, a family inheritance.

Here are the top ten richest people in the world as of May 1, 2024:

1. Bernard Arnault

Net worth: $209.4 billion

Source: LVMH/ luxury goods

Age: 75

Nationality: French

2. Elon Musk

Net worth: $199.6 billion

Source: Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter)

Age: 52

Nationality: American

3. Jeff Bezos

Net worth: $193.3 billion

Source: Amazon

Age: 60

Nationality: American

4. Mark Zuckerberg

Net worth: $151.2 billion

Source: Meta (Facebook)

Age: 39

Nationality: American

5. Larry Ellison

Net worth: $142.8 billion

Source: Oracle

Age: 79

Nationality: American

6. Larry Page

Net worth: $135.4 billion

Source: Google

Age: 51

Nationality: American

7. Warren Buffett

Net worth: $131 billion

Source: Berkshire Hathaway

Age: 93

Nationality: American

8. Sergey Brin

Net worth: $129.9 billion

Source: Google

Age: 50

Nationality: American

9. Bill Gates

Net worth: $127 billion

Source: Microsoft

Age: 68

Nationality: American

10. Steve Ballmer

Net worth: $117.1 billion

Source: Microsoft, Clippers (NBA)

Age: 68

Nationality: American

More from Qonversations

Uncategorized

e7eac609 5f37 4cc9 a88c 1ce597faa583

Rwanda deploys AI to check vehicle pollution  

Uncategorized

46b21dc1 7803 42ff 9f4c a9dd16b3f23b

Kenya’s new superpower: AI X-rays are detecting TB in seconds

Uncategorized

1098d1a7 110d 4fe6 8bf2 5ea1ae2314a5

China urges Japan to help fight US tariffs together, Kyodo reports

Uncategorized

WhatsApp Image 2025 04 14 at 12.55.42

AI Dolls: The miniature trend taking over social media—and why it matters

Front of mind