The latest entrants to the three-comma club have been revealed, with Forbes identifying a record 2,781 billionaires around the world this year, collectively worth $14.2 trillion. This surge in wealth has brought in 265 new billionaires, including a fashion legend, an NBA hall-of-famer, and a famous pop star. These newcomers boast a combined wealth of $510 billion and hail from 32 different countries, with the United States leading the pack with 67 new billionaires.
Among the standout newcomers is Andrea Pignataro from Italy, who founded financial software firm ION Group and now boasts a net worth of $27.5 billion. The richest women to enter the ranks this year are Sofia Högberg Schörling and her sister Märta Schörling Andreen, daughters of Swedish investing tycoon Melker Schörling, with estimated net worths of $5.6 billion each. One of the most notable additions is Taylor Swift, who has amassed a fortune of $1.1 billion primarily through her music career and record-breaking tour.
Sporting legends are also making their mark in the billionaire club, with Earvin “Magic” Johnson entering with an estimated net worth of $1.2 billion. French fashion designer Christian Louboutin, known for his iconic red-soled high heels, also joins the ranks with a $1.2 billion fortune. Additionally, 19-year-old Livia Voigt from Brazil becomes the world’s youngest billionaire this year, inheriting a $1.1 billion fortune from her family’s business.
Most of this year’s newcomers are self-made billionaires who founded their own successful companies. The manufacturing sector has seen the most significant growth in new billionaires, with notable additions like Anil Gupta from India and Nicholas Howley, cofounder of airplane-parts maker TransDigm. In the technology sector, Charles Liang, CEO of IT infrastructure firm Super Micro Computer, stands out as the richest newcomer with a net worth of $6.1 billion.
Finance and investment sectors have also seen an increase in new billionaires, including Seth Boro, Scott Crabill, and Holden Spaht from private equity firm Thoma Bravo. Crypto industry newcomers like Giancarlo Devasini and executives from Bitfinex have also made their debut, with Devasini estimated to have a fortune of $9.2 billion. Overall, the diversity of industries represented among the new billionaires reflects the global landscape of wealth creation and the varying paths to achieving billionaire status.
