29 people now control 27% of all billionaire wealth
Twenty-nine “superbillionaires” each worth more than $50 billion now hold a combined $4.1 trillion—27% of all billionaire wealth—per Altrata’s Billionaire Census 2026. That means a tiny group of people now control all but a shrinking slice of the ultra-rich pie, up from a 7.2% share when only 10 such fortunes existed in 2017.
Key Takeaways
- Just 29 people with fortunes above $50 billion control $4.1 trillion, or 27% of global billionaire wealth.
- Combined billionaire wealth hit a record $15.1 trillion in 2025, rising 12.8% year over year.
- The billionaire population grew 8.2% to 3,795, the fastest annual jump in five years.
- AI-linked stocks are widening the gap inside the billionaire class—and making paper fortunes more volatile.
The finding lands as the AI boom turbocharges fortunes at the very top. For more coverage of ultra-rich rankings and fortunes, see our Net Worth & Wealth hub.
How much wealth do the top 29 people control?
According to CNBC’s report on Altrata’s Census, the 29 “superbillionaires”—individuals worth more than $50 billion—held a combined net worth of $4.1 trillion in 2025. That equals 27% of all billionaire wealth worldwide.
In 2017, Altrata estimated only 10 people cleared the $50 billion mark, and they represented just 7.2% of billionaire wealth. The top tier’s share has nearly quadrupled in less than a decade as mega-cap tech valuations soared.
Overall, the world’s billionaires numbered a record 3,795 last year. Their collective fortune surged 12.8% to $15.1 trillion, Altrata found.
Why is the billionaire wealth gap widening so fast?
Artificial intelligence is the main accelerant. Altrata reviewed 150 publicly listed companies that contributed most to billionaire wealth. Firms that invested at least $30 million in AI over the past five years outperformed peers by 23% in market-capitalization growth across 2024 and 2025.
Maya Imberg, Altrata’s head of thought leadership and analytics, told CNBC that Wall Street’s AI fervor is widening the gap inside the three-comma club. Fortunes tied to AI-exposed tech stocks can swing hard: Forbes data cited by CNBC showed an $18 billion one-day drop for Elon Musk and a $50 billion week-long plunge for Larry Ellison.
“We expect the fortunes of many of the richest billionaires, those whose companies are tech-focused, to go up and down in response to the AI story,” Imberg said.
The same AI-driven equity rally has lifted regional rich lists too. Forbes’ 2025 Singapore 50 Richest saw Meta cofounder Eduardo Saverin remain No. 1 at $43 billion after an AI-fueled advertising surge boosted Meta shares, with the group’s combined wealth jumping 23% to $239 billion.
Where are the world’s billionaires concentrated?
North America remains the largest regional pool, with 1,337 billionaires after an 11.6% rise in 2025—the fastest growth of any region. Imberg credited U.S. dominance in private and public tech markets. Europe counts 1,081 billionaires after a 7.9% increase, while Asia reached 881 after a 6.5% gain.
Altrata also noted that 2025 was unusually strong across assets: every major asset class it tracked posted positive returns, a first since the pandemic, even amid trade-war turbulence. Concentration at the top, however, means market risk is increasingly packed into one sector—tech—and into AI within that sector.
For readers tracking how AI reshapes personal fortunes, the headline remains stark: a few dozen people now hold more than a quarter of all billionaire wealth, and the distance from everyone else is growing quickly.