2025: The Era of Tech Billionaires and How Elon Musk Keeps the Title of the Richest Person in the World

The fight for the biggest global fortune in 2025 reflects a profound transformation in the wealth-generating sectors. According to updated data, the ranking of the world’s richest men shows American dominance at the top of the pyramid, with nine out of the top ten being from the United States. This time, what draws attention is not just who leads, but how artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital technology are completely redefining the map of global wealth.

Elon Musk: US$ 358 billion — Consolidated Reign

The entrepreneur remains in first place in the race for the title of the world’s richest man in 2025. His fortune exceeds US$ 350 billion, fueled by a diversified portfolio that goes far beyond Tesla. SpaceX revolutionizes space exploration, xAI invests heavily in language models, the X platform connects billions of users, and his investments in cryptocurrencies — Bitcoin at US$ 87.50K, Ethereum around US$ 2.94K, and Dogecoin priced at US$ 0.13 — add extra layers of return.

What makes Musk unique is not just the size of his fortune, but his ability to be simultaneously at the forefront of multiple technological revolutions: electric vehicles, renewable energy, space exploration, and now generative AI.

The Trio of Technology and Cloud Computing

Larry Ellison (US$ 251 billion) and Mark Zuckerberg (US$ 251 billion) share podium positions alongside Jeff Bezos (US$ 247 billion), forming an almost indissoluble bloc. Ellison, through Oracle, built empires in databases and cloud computing. Zuckerberg transformed Facebook into a holding company of super-apps, including Instagram and WhatsApp, while pivoting to virtual reality and the metaverse. Bezos remains omnipresent through Amazon and AWS, the cloud platform powering much of modern internet.

New Protagonists: The Rise of AI

Jensen Huang of NVIDIA reached ninth place with an estimated net worth of US$ 149 billion — a meteoric rise. The company’s GPUs shifted from gaming components to critical infrastructure for data centers, machine learning, and high-performance computing. His emergence at the top of billionaires marks the definitive transition to an economy driven by artificial intelligence.

Strategic Diversity: Outside of Technology

Steve Ballmer (US$ 174 billion) took Microsoft to the cloud computing level with Azure, while also diversifying into the sports sector. Larry Page (US$ 165 billion) continues investing in autonomous mobility and biotechnology beyond Google. Sergey Brin (US$ 154 billion) follows the same trail of decentralized innovation.

Warren Buffett (US$ 141 billion), known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” represents a different school: value investing and long-term discipline through Berkshire Hathaway.

Bernard Arnault (US$ 156 billion) is the only European in the top 10, controlling the LVMH empire with its luxury brands — Louis Vuitton, Dior, Moët Hennessy — showing that concentrated wealth persists outside of technology as well.

Lessons for Aspiring Investors

The 2025 ranking of the world’s richest men offers fundamental lessons:

Long-term vision: All major billionaires think in decades, not quarters. Elon Musk waits decades for the profitability of SpaceX and xAI.

Betting on fast-growing sectors: AI, cloud computing, autonomous mobility, and biotechnology concentrate the largest fortunes. Investors who identify trends early reap the biggest gains.

Smart diversification: No billionaire has 100% of their wealth in a single asset. Exposure to multiple sectors reduces risks and enhances returns.

Ownership vs. salary: All built their fortunes as founders or early participants, not as employees. Wealth is concentrated in shares of their own companies.

Studying these billionaires is not just curiosity, but a practical lesson on how global markets work and where venture capital flows in the world.