Elon Musk widened his lead as the world’s richest person after becoming the first individual in history to surpass the $1 trillion mark in estimated personal wealth. According to Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List, Musk’s net worth climbed to an estimated $1.053 trillion as of July 1, 2026, largely driven by SpaceX’s blockbuster public market debut, which significantly increased the value of his holdings in the aerospace company.
While Musk’s fortune surged by approximately $218 billion over the past month, the rest of the world’s wealthiest individuals experienced a more challenging period. Forbes estimates that the combined fortunes of the other nine members of the top 10 declined by roughly $181 billion as technology stocks retreated, with the Nasdaq falling nearly 3% during the month.
Musk’s wealth now stands more than three-and-a-half times higher than that of the second-richest person, Google co-founder Larry Page, whose estimated fortune slipped to $291 billion following a decline in Alphabet’s share price. Fellow Google co-founder Sergey Brin remained in third place with an estimated net worth of $269 billion despite recording monthly losses. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos retained fourth position, although his wealth declined to $249 billion after Amazon shares weakened.
One of the biggest changes in the rankings involved Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. After enjoying one of the strongest gains in the previous month, Ellison experienced the largest decline among the world’s richest individuals in June. Forbes estimates his fortune dropped by approximately $84 billion to $192 billion as Oracle shares retreated sharply, pushing him from fifth place to seventh in the global rankings.
The decline in Ellison’s fortune allowed Michael Dell and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to each move up one position. Dell climbed to fifth place with an estimated net worth of $235 billion, while Zuckerberg advanced to sixth despite his own wealth falling to $194 billion as Meta shares declined.
French luxury billionaire Bernard Arnault maintained ninth place with an estimated fortune of $147.9 billion, making him the only person in the top 10 besides Musk whose wealth did not decline during the month. Veteran investor Warren Buffett returned to the top 10 after his net worth increased to approximately $147.8 billion, replacing former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, who dropped out of the rankings following losses tied to Microsoft’s share performance.
According to Forbes, the combined wealth of the world’s 10 richest people reached approximately $2.951 trillion as of July 1, 2026. The publication notes that billionaire rankings fluctuate regularly because they are closely tied to public market movements and changes in stock prices.
Key Highlights
• Elon Musk remains the world’s richest person and became history’s first trillionaire following SpaceX’s public listing.
• Larry Page holds second place with an estimated fortune of $291 billion.
• Warren Buffett returned to the global top 10 after a three-month absence.
• Bernard Arnault remains the only non-American among the world’s 10 richest individuals.
• All 10 members of the July 2026 ranking are men, with each holding an estimated fortune exceeding $147 billion.
Top 10 Richest People in the World (July 2026)
- Elon Musk
- Larry Page
- Sergey Brin
- Jeff Bezos
- Michael Dell
- Mark Zuckerberg
- Larry Ellison
- Jensen Huang
- Bernard Arnault
- Warren Buffett
The World’s Richest Person
According to Forbes, Elon Musk remains the wealthiest person on Earth with an estimated net worth of $1.053 trillion. His record-breaking fortune was largely fueled by SpaceX’s successful IPO, which dramatically increased the value of his ownership stake. Musk also continues to hold substantial interests in Tesla and several other ventures, reinforcing his position at the top of the global wealth rankings.
The World’s Richest Woman
Alice Walton remains the richest woman in the world, with Forbes estimating her fortune at approximately $121 billion as of July 1, 2026. An heir to the Walmart fortune, Walton derives most of her wealth from her ownership stake in the retail giant. She ranks among the world’s wealthiest individuals overall, although she remains outside the global top 10.
Editor’s Note: Billionaire rankings, net worth estimates, and financial data in this article are based on Forbes’ Real-Time Billionaires List and related Forbes reporting as of July 1, 2026. Since these estimates are closely linked to market performance, individual fortunes may fluctuate as stock prices change.
