2025 was the most profitable year in history for billionaires, driven by surging AI stocks, blockbuster IPOs, and record gains at the very top of the wealth ladder, according to a new Forbes analysis.
The world added more than 340 new billionaires, roughly one per day, bringing the global total to a record 3,148. Combined billionaire wealth reached $18.7 trillion, up about $10 trillion since 2020.
Artificial intelligence played a central role in the boom. Rapidly rising valuations turned founders of AI startups, chipmakers, and data center firms into billionaires at record speed, including several under the age of 30.
Elon Musk led the surge, gaining about $333 billion in 2025 alone as Tesla and SpaceX valuations climbed sharply. Musk became the first person ever to surpass $700 billion in net worth, ending the year worth more than the next several billionaires combined.
Other tech titans also saw major gains. Larry Ellison added nearly $100 billion in a single day after Oracle shares surged on AI revenue forecasts, while Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin gained a combined $185 billion as Alphabet expanded its AI efforts.
The billionaire class also gained political influence. More than 130 billionaires funded the 2024 U.S. election, and several joined or advised the Trump administration. Forbes noted this era reflects both wealth concentration and growing political reach.
AI was not the only driver. IPOs in crypto, design software, defense technology, and space also created new billionaires, while legacy fortunes in sports, entertainment, and manufacturing continued to grow.
Forbes found that nearly 85% of billionaires entering 2026 were already billionaires a year earlier, showing that once fortunes reach that level, they tend to persist and expand.
With record wealth, record influence, and accelerating technology gains, Forbes concluded that the world has entered a clear “billionaire era”, with no immediate signs of slowing.
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