The world's richest billionaires in 2026: when AI and technology create record fortunes

In the first quarter of 2026, the world’s wealthiest men are reaching levels of wealth never recorded in contemporary history. The unstoppable wave of technological innovation, from artificial intelligence to space flights, has transformed the fortunes of tech founders into mountains of capital that surpass all previous economic forecasts.

Elon Musk sets a new historical record

The tech and innovation magnate continues to make history with an estimated net worth of $726 billion. His dominant position is no coincidence: SpaceX is revolutionizing the space industry, Starlink is expanding global connectivity, and his control of Tesla firmly positions him as the main beneficiary of the worldwide energy transition. His vertical leap highlights how the combination of entrepreneurial vision, shareholding control, and disruptive tech sectors creates an unprecedented wealth-generating machine.

Tech founders dominate the global rankings

Behind Musk, other tech giants control astronomical sums. Larry Page, co-founder of Google, has an estimated fortune of $270 billion, fueled by Alphabet’s dominance in artificial intelligence. Jeff Bezos, who built the Amazon empire, holds $255 billion, with AWS continuing to generate massive and stable profit streams.

Sergey Brin ($251 billion), also a Google co-founder, and Larry Ellison ($248 billion), a guru of databases and modern enterprise, complete a top 5 entirely dedicated to the digital revolution. Even the youngest among tech billionaires, like Mark Zuckerberg with $233 billion, benefit from the massive capitalization of their digital creations.

The definitive list of the 10 wealthiest magnates

The full list of the ten richest men on Earth reveals an almost total concentration in the tech and innovation sectors:

1. Elon Musk — $726 billion
2. Larry Page — $270 billion
3. Jeff Bezos — $255 billion
4. Sergey Brin — $251 billion
5. Larry Ellison — $248 billion
6. Mark Zuckerberg — $233 billion
7. Bernard Arnault — $205 billion
8. Steve Ballmer — $170 billion
9. Jensen Huang — $156 billion
10. Warren Buffett — $151 billion

What fuels record-breaking wealth accumulation

Four fundamental pillars are driving this wealth explosion. First, artificial intelligence and cloud computing infrastructure are creating valleys of profits for US tech companies. Second, the space and semiconductor sectors are experiencing rapid valuation growth, driven by global demand and strategic government projects.

A third crucial factor is the absolute dominance of American tech multinationals in global markets. Finally, founders who have maintained significant stakes in their companies are realizing extraordinary gains, turning simple equity holdings into biblically large fortunes.

The concentration of wealth among the world’s richest continues to accelerate, reflecting the transformative power of technology and the accumulation of value in the hands of those who correctly anticipated major industrial trends.