2024 was an excellent year for billionaires, whose numbers and combined wealth reached record highs as global stock markets adapted to wars, political unrest, and persistent inflation.
By BARNES International — Sources : Forbes/CNN/Bloomberg
2024 was an excellent year for billionaires, whose wealth increased as global stock markets adapted to ongoing wars, international political unrest and persistent, albeit declining, inflation. It also marked a record year in terms of their numbers, with a total of 2,781 billionaires — 141 more than last year and 26 more than the previous record set in 2021, according to Forbes.
Eight of the top ten global billionaires have made their fortune in the tech industry, with the exception of Bernard Arnault and Warren Buffett. Much of these billionaires' wealth is still invested in the companies they created and is therefore indexed on their fluctuating trading value.
Trump's re-election: a jackpot for billionaires
On Wednesday 6 November 2024, the day after Donald Trump was re-elected as President of the United States, the 10 richest people on the planet collectively gained $64 billion within 24 hours, according to CNN. The biggest beneficiary was Elon Musk, one of Trump's most vocal supporters, whose net worth soared by $26.5 billion between Tuesday and Wednesday.
