The world's 500 richest individuals added a record $2.2tn to their wealth in 2025, increasing their collective net worth to $11.9tn, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The gains were boosted by Donald Trump’s 2024 election victory and booming markets in cryptocurrencies, equities and metals.
Just eight billionaires accounted for a quarter of the gains, including Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison and Larry Page. Ellison's net worth rose by $57.7bn to $249.8bn, while Musk's soared by $190.3bn to $622.7bn. Australian Gina Rinehart nearly tripled her wealth to $37.7bn through rare-earth metals.
However, some billionaires saw declines. Philippine billionaire Manuel Villar lost $12.6bn after shares of his property firm Golden MV Holdings Inc dropped by 80% following a six-month trading suspension, reducing his net worth to $10bn.
Oxfam noted that the $2.2tn growth could have lifted 3.8 billion people out of poverty. “Inequality is a deliberate policy choice. Despite record wealth at the top, public wealth is stagnating, even declining, and debt distress is growing,” said Amitabh Behar, Oxfam's international executive director.
