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Rubén Andrés
WriterWriter at Xataka. I've been working remotely for more than a decade and I'm a strong advocate of technology as a way to improve our lives. Full-time addict of black, sugar-free coffee.
Alba Mora
WriterAn established tech journalist, I entered the world of consumer tech by chance in 2018. In my writing and translating career, I've also covered a diverse range of topics, including entertainment, travel, science, and the economy.
Around 1.1% of the world’s population was estimated to own 45.8% of the total wealth by the end of 2023. Those percentages are likely to have changed in recent times. The number of billionaires has increased from 2,640 in 2023 to 3,028 in 2025, according to Forbes.
Together, the world’s billionaires are worth a combined fortune of $16.1 trillion. Within this group, there’s an even more exclusive subset known as the $100 billion club.
The Rise of Centibillionaires
Just a few years ago, the notion of someone owning more than $100 billion in wealth seemed almost fictional. In the late 1980s, the largest fortunes barely surpassed $10 billion. It wasn’t until the 2000s dot-com boom that someone–Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates–neared the $100 billion mark. However, the landscape has dramatically transformed since then.
In 2025, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk became the first person to reach a $400 billion net worth. Additionally, the $100 billion club has expanded to 15 members, including the world’s first woman centibillionaire.
According to Forbes, this select group holds 15% of the total wealth owned by billionaires, amounting to $2.4 trillion. This is $400 billion more than the combined wealth of the 14 members who were part of the club in 2024.
Between 2018 and 2020, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos alone surpassed the $100 billion mark. In 2021, Musk, LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault, and Gates joined this elite club. By 2022, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and Oracle cofounder Larry Ellison had also become members. The club had grown to eight people.
However, the largest increase occurred in 2024 with 14 billionaires.
These are the $100 billion club members in 2025:
- Elon Musk: $342 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg: $216 billion
- Jeff Bezos: $215 billion
- Larry Ellison: $192 billion
- Bernard Arnault: $178 billion
- Warren Buffett: $154 billion
- Larry Page: $144 billion
- Sergey Brin: $138 billion
- Amancio Ortega: $124 billion
- Steve Ballmer: $118 billion
- Rob Walton and family: $110 billion
- Jim Walton and family: $109 billion
- Bill Gates: $108 billion
- Michael Bloomberg: $105 billion
- Alice Walton: $101 billion
The World’s First Woman Centibillionaire
For the first time in history, a woman has broken the $100 billion barrier to join this exclusive club. Alice Walton, the heiress to the Walmart fortune, has achieved this milestone, taking the title from Françoise Bettencourt Meyers of L’Oreal. In 2024, Meyers briefly reached a fortune of $100.2 billion but didn’t manage to maintain it above that figure.
With an estimated net worth of $101 billion, Alice Walton isn’t only recognized for her immense wealth but also for her philanthropy. Throughout 2024, she’s donated around $1.7 billion, including a significant contribution of $249 million to establish the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine in her family’s hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas.
Alice Walton’s brothers, Jim and Rob Walton, also belong to this exclusive group of billionaires, with fortunes valued at $109 billion and $110 billion, respectively.
Americans Continue to Dominate
Among the elite $100 billion club, only two billionaires don’t hold U.S. citizenship. Spain’s Amancio Ortega is the founder of Inditex, the world’s biggest fast fashion group, which owns brands like Zara. Meanwhile, as the head of the luxury conglomerate LVMH, France’s Arnault manages brands including Louis Vuitton, Moët & Chandon, Sephora, and TAG Heuer.
Image | Duc Van
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