World’s super-rich club has record 15 members with fortunes over $100 billion each

The global super-rich club now has a record 15 members with each holding fortunes worth over $100 billion – nearly a quarter of the world’s wealth. Notably, this list includes two prominent Indians, Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani.

The world’s wealthiest have reached this stage riding on the advances in artificial intelligence and the boom in luxury goods market among other areas.

Their combined net worth of this elite wealthy individuals has gone up by 13 per cent this year to a staggering $2.2 trillion. Their net worth was announced by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

The toppers

While the 15 have crossed $100 billion before, this is the first time all of them have held fortunes of that size at the same time, media reports said.

Leading the Bloomberg list is LVMH founder and chief executive officer Bernard Arnault, 75, with a net worth of $222 billion. His wealth accrues from his stake in the world's largest luxury goods maker.

Amazon.com Inc founder Jeff Bezos, 60, ranks second with a net worth of $208 billion, thanks to his ownership of the world's largest online retailer Tesla Inc.

Ambani, Adani

Indian Mukesh Ambani sits on the 12th spot with a total wealth of $109 billion.

Gautam Adani has returned to the elite group (ranked 14) after a short-seller attack caused him to lose more wealth than anyone in 2023.

Shares of his flagship Adani Enterprises Ltd have risen as investors in the world increasingly focus on India businesses.

Musk, Dell

Meanwhile, CEO Elon Musk, 52, whose wealth has fallen by more than $40 billion this year, ranks third in the index with a net worth of $187 billion.

Those who reached the top in the past five months include L'Oreal SA heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, Dell Technologies Inc founder Michael Dell and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim.

Dell, 59, is now 11th on the Bloomberg wealth index with a fortune of $113 billion. Slim ranks 13th with $106 billion.