The Billionaires Who Made the Most Money in 2024

1. Elon Musk

Net Worth: $474 billion

Wealth Increase: $245 billion

Elon Musk has had a milestone year, solidifying his position as the wealthiest person on Earth and becoming the first individual to surpass a $400 billion net worth. Much of this growth came in October. Billion increase in Musk’s fortune since the election. Additionally, SpaceX—his aerospace venture—saw its valuation rise to $350 billion, further boosting Musk’s wealth.

2. Mark Zuckerberg

Net Worth: $215 billion

Wealth Increase: $86.8 billion

Meta Platforms founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg also enjoyed remarkable success. Meta’s stock surged by 76% this year as investors showed confidence in Zuckerberg’s strategic bets on AI and the metaverse. This optimism added nearly $87 billion to his wealth, elevating him to the world’s second-richest person.

3. Jensen Huang

Net Worth: $122 billion

Wealth Increase: $78.4 billion

Nvidia’s founder and CEO Jensen Huang rode the AI boom to new heights. Nvidia, which dominates the global AI chip market with an 80% share, experienced a stock price surge of 190%. This pushed Nvidia’s market capitalization to $3.43 trillion and added $78 billion to Huang’s fortune.

4. Jeff Bezos

Net Worth: $248 billion

Wealth Increase: $70.7 billion

Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, also reaped the benefits of the AI revolution. Amazon’s stock rose by 52% in 2024 as the company integrated AI to enhance its e-commerce operations and solidify its cloud service, Amazon Web Services, as a leading infrastructure provider for AI companies.

6. Michael Dell

Net Worth: $127 billion

Wealth Increase: $48.4 billion

Michael Dell, CEO of Dell Technologies, enjoyed a windfall as his company shifted focus toward AI-integrated hardware. Dell’s stock increased by 59%, significantly boosting his wealth.

7. Larry Page

Net Worth: $174 billion

Wealth Increase: $47.4 billion

Larry Page, the co-founder and former CEO of Alphabet (Google’s parent company), benefited from Alphabet’s 41.5% stock surge. The company’s strategic investments in AI-driven search technology, autonomous vehicles, and quantum computing have fueled its growth.

8. Sergey Brin

Net Worth: $163 billion

Wealth Increase: $43.5 billion

Sergey Brin, Alphabet’s other co-founder, also saw significant gains. Brin returned to Google in 2023 to help improve its AI chatbot, Gemini. This hands-on involvement and Alphabet’s stock performance added $43.5 billion to his wealth.

9. Jim Walton

Net Worth: $114 billion

Wealth Increase: $41.9 billion

Jim Walton, the youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton, benefited from a 74% rise in Walmart’s stock. Rising inflation and higher interest rates drove more consumers to Walmart for budget-friendly shopping, significantly boosting the company’s valuation.

10. Alice Walton

Net Worth: $111 billion

Wealth Increase: $41.3 billion

Alice Walton, Walmart’s sole heiress, became the richest woman in the world this year. She surpassed L’Oréal’s Françoise Bettencourt Meyers in August, thanks to Walmart’s thriving performance.

Tech-Driven Growth in 2024

The dominance of tech billionaires on this year’s wealth gainers list reflects the profound impact of artificial intelligence on global markets. With advancements in AI driving innovation, stock performance, and corporate valuations, the wealth trajectories of these individuals highlight how technology continues to reshape the economic landscape.

From Musk’s unprecedented leap to Walmart’s enduring resilience, 2024 was a transformative year for billionaires across sectors. As AI adoption accelerates and global markets evolve, the fortunes of these individuals underscore the immense opportunities within technology and innovation.