Forbes crowns the super-rich of the world in 2021. The annual ranking compiled by the American magazine of great fortunes does not raise the curtain on dramatic surprises and earthquakes at the top when it comes to the individual winners of this peculiar and pecuniary race. At the first post stands the king of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, for the fourth consecutive year, with a personal treasure of 177 billion dollars – one billion more, one billion less. After all, it is appropriate to say, Elon Musk of Tesla with 151 billion. The novelty is, if anything, in the glance offered by the list: it shows an “aristocracy” with ever more immeasurable wealth. He photographs a collective treasure estimated at 13.1 trillion dollars, a sharp increase of over five trillion from the previous eight thousand billion, in the pockets of less than three thousand people.
More numerous and richer
In a reality denounced by critics as dominated by too many inequalities, aggravated by the pandemic crisis, the elite of billionaires is proving to be expanding. Both in number and in wealth. Forbes now has 2,755, 660 more than twelve months ago. Not only that, there is a sort of equality of opportunity here: 86% of this class of 2021, on balance, is more overflowing today than it was a year ago. Forbes used currency exchange rates and stock prices as of March 5 as a benchmark to calculate fortunes.
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A small army of rookies
The ranking co-opted 493 debut billionaires, one every 17 hours – plus minute, minus minute. With the contribution of emerging fortunes in China and Hong Kong, capable of 210 new arrivals. There are not even a few billionaires who have fallen but are now back in vogue: they have regained share in 250.
United States followed by China
The main homeland of billionaires is still represented by the United States, from the top of 724 and with 8 of the top ten in the rankings. However, China, including Hong Kong, is pressing ahead with 698 ultra-rich people on the special list.
Behind Bezos and Musk
The individual fortunes, behind the couple at the top, see the French Bernard Arnault and his family in third place, with 150 billion. Another American, former Microsoft philanthropist Bill Gates, has $ 124 billion. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is counting on 87 billion just ahead of the Oracle of Omaha Warren Buffett with 96 billion. Oracle’s Larry Ellison is 93 and Google’s (Alphabet) founding couple Larry Page and Sergey Brin duel 91.5 billion and 89 billion strong respectively. The team of the top ten is completed by the Indian Mukesh Ambani, chairman and largest shareholder of the conglomerate Reliance Industries, with 84.5 billion. The richest Chinese is Zhong Shanshan, 13th, with 68.9 billion, a beverage and pharmaceutical magnate.