Forbes' 2024 list of billionaires surpasses 2021's record with 2,781 billionaires, 141 more than the previous year, and a $14.2 trillion increase in wealth.

Forbes' annual list of the world's billionaires in 2024 has reached 2,781 billionaires, 141 more than the previous year. Their wealth is $14.2 trillion, set to be an increase by $2 trillion by 2023. With 26 new billionaires and a $1.1 trillion increase in aggregate net worth, the 2024 list surpasses 2021's records.

The wealth of billionaires has increased by two-thirds, with a total wealth increase of $700 billion since 2023. The top 20 billionaires have seen the most gains, with the United States having the highest number of billionaires. India and China also have record-breaking numbers of billionaires. Forbes calculated their wealth using March 8, 2024, stock prices and exchange rates.

Bernard Arnault and his family, CEO of LVMH, have a net worth of $233 billion, ranking first on Forbes' list of the world's wealthiest individuals. Elon Musk, previously the richest person, is second with a net worth of $195 billion. In 2022, Musk purchased Twitter for $44 million and rebranded it as X, making him the second richest person globally.

Forbes reports that Elon Musk owns 74% of Tesla, valued at over 70% less than he bought, and his net worth has dropped below $200 billion in the past two years due to low earnings, compared to Jeff Bezos' $195 billion and Mark Zuckerberg's $177 billion.