A person who has a net worth of at least 1 billion of a given currency. This could be dollars, pounds, or EUROs.
It is a sub-category of the concept of the ultra high-net-worth individual.
As of 2023, there are over 2,755 billionaires worldwide, with a combined wealth of over $12.7 trillion. The United States has the most billionaires, with over 735 individuals. China is second with over 607 billionaires, followed by India with over 166 billionaires.
Billionaires come from a variety of backgrounds and industries. Some of the most common industries for billionaires include technology, finance, retail, and manufacturing.
Billionaires have a significant impact on the global economy. They control a large portion of the world's wealth, and they can influence financial markets and government policy.
Here are some examples of billionaires:
- Elon Musk - Tesla, SpaceX
- Jeff Bezos - Amazon
- Bernard Arnault - LVMH
- Bill Gates - Microsoft
- Warren Buffett - Berkshire Hathaway
- Mark Zuckerberg - Meta
- Larry Page - Alphabet
- Sergey Brin - Alphabet
- Mukesh Ambani - Reliance Industries
- Gautam Adani - Adani Group
- Jack Ma - Alibaba
- Steve Ballmer - Microsoft
History
The history of billionaires can be traced back to the late 19th century, when the Industrial Revolution led to the creation of new industries and fortunes. The first billionaire in the world is generally considered to be John D. Rockefeller, who founded Standard Oil in 1870. Rockefeller's company quickly became the dominant force in the oil industry, and he amassed a fortune that was estimated to be worth over $1 billion in 1916.
In the early 20th century, the number of billionaires grew as new industries such as automobiles, steel, and chemicals emerged. Billionaires also emerged in developing countries such as India and China as these countries experienced rapid economic growth.
After World War II, the number of billionaires continued to grow, and the gap between the rich and the poor widened. This trend accelerated in the 1980s and 1990s, as new technologies such as computers and the internet led to the creation of new industries and fortunes.
Today, there are more billionaires than ever before. The number of billionaires has increased by over 800% since 2000. The rise of has been driven by a number of factors, including economic growth, globalization, and technological innovation.
Here are some key milestones in the history of billionaires:
- 1870: John D. Rockefeller founds Standard Oil and becomes the world's first billionaire.
- 1901: Andrew Carnegie sells his steel company for $480 million, becoming the richest man in the world.
- 1916: Rockefeller's net worth is estimated to be over $1 billion, making him the world's first billionaire in modern terms.
- 1957: J. Paul Getty becomes the first billionaire to make his fortune from oil.
- 1976: Sam Walton becomes the first billionaire to make his fortune from retail.
- 1987: Bill Gates becomes the world's youngest billionaire at the age of 31.
- 2007: Jeff Bezos becomes the world's first billionaire from internet commerce.
- 2018: Elon Musk becomes the world's youngest self-made billionaire at the age of 45