The elite club of global billionaires has reached unprecedented heights, with a collective net worth soaring to a staggering USD14.2 trillion, as reported by Forbes. This surge in wealth has been fueled by the remarkable addition of 265 newcomers over the past year, marking a significant increase from the previous year’s count of 150.
Among these fresh faces are luminaries from various domains, including the realms of fashion, sports, and entertainment. Notable additions include a fashion legend, an NBA hall-of-famer, and the renowned pop sensation, Taylor Swift.
Taylor Swift’s entry into the billionaire ranks is particularly noteworthy, with her record-breaking Eras Tour generating over USD1 billion in revenue across five continents.
This landmark achievement, coupled with the value of her music catalogue and real estate holdings, has propelled Swift’s estimated fortune to an impressive USD1.1 billion. Remarkably, she stands as the first musician to attain billionaire status solely through her artistic endeavors.
Joining Swift in this prestigious circle is NBA icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson, whose diverse portfolio spanning professional sports teams, movie theaters, Starbucks franchises, real estate, and healthcare has amassed an estimated net worth of USD1.2 billion.
Moreover, the influx of new billionaires reflects a global trend of self-made success, with over half of the newcomers having founded the companies that propelled them to wealth.
The technology sector emerges as a prominent contributor to this phenomenon, with 38 tech entrepreneurs among the fresh entrants.
Charles Liang, co-founder and CEO of IT infrastructure firm Super Micro Computer, stands out as one of the wealthiest tech newcomers, boasting an estimated net worth of USD6.1 billion.
Türkiye’s Haluk Bayraktar, CEO of military drone maker Baykar Defense, also secured a place among the billionaires with a fortune valued at USD1.1 billion.
While the United States leads in terms of the number of new billionaires, with 67 Americans joining the ranks, China and India have also seen significant increases in their billionaire populations.
China nearly doubled its count from the previous year, adding 31 new billionaires, while India welcomed 25 new members to the billionaire club.
