The billionaires club has never been bigger—or richer. Here’s who’s up, who’s down and who’s off the list and why it matters more than ever.
The world’s billionaires have always been rich and powerful—but never more than now. That’s particularly true in the United States, where Donald Trump was sworn in (again) as America’s billionaire-in-chief in January. This time around, he’s giving the billionaire class more control over the government than ever before.
The billionaire bonanza extends beyond the U.S., however. A record 3,028 people around the globe make Forbes’ annual World’s Billionaires list this year, 247 more than last year. It’s the first time the billionaire population has crossed the 3,000 mark. They’re worth a record $16.1 trillion in all, $2 trillion more than a year ago, more than the GDP of any country in the world other than the U.S. and China. The average fortune now stands at a record $5.3 billion, up $200 million from 2024.
Senior Editor Chase Peterson-Withorn, who has been editing the list for over three years, joins Breaking News Reporter Brittany Lewis to share an inside look into this year's 2025 World's Billionaires List.
Read the full story on Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/chasewithorn/2025/04/01/forbes-39th-annual-worlds-billionaires-list-more-than-3000-worth-16-trillion/
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0:00 Introduction
0:24 What Goes Into Researching The World's Richest Billionaires List
3:35 How Much Are This Year's Billionaires Worth
8:03 Self Made Billionaires vs. Heirs
10:03 Who Are Notable Repeat Billionaires On The List
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