Elon Musk has reclaimed his position as the world’s richest individual, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2025.
The 53-year-old CEO of Tesla and SpaceX saw his net worth surge by 82%, or $189 billion, reaching a total of $420 billion.
This remarkable increase is largely attributed to a significant rise in Tesla’s stock price following the re-election of President Donald Trump.
However, since the list’s cut-off date of January 15, 2025, Musk’s fortune has declined by approximately $100 billion, influenced by factors such as his investments in Dogecoin, political activities, and increased competition from Chinese manufacturers affecting Tesla’s market performance.
The Hurun Global Rich List 2025 ranks 3,442 billionaires from 2,524 companies across 71 countries, marking a 5% increase in the number of billionaires and a 13% rise in their collective wealth compared to the previous year.
Top 10 Wealthiest Individuals According to the Hurun Global Rich List 2025:
-Elon Musk (Tesla, SpaceX): $420 billion
-Jeff Bezos (Amazon): $266 billion
-Mark Zuckerberg (Meta): $242 billion
-Larry Ellison (Oracle): $203 billion
-Warren Buffett (Berkshire Hathaway): $167 billion
-Larry Page (Alphabet): $164 billion
-Bernard Arnault (LVMH): $157 billion
-Steve Ballmer (Microsoft): $156 billion
-Sergey Brin (Alphabet): $148 billion
-Bill Gates (Microsoft): $143 billion
These figures underscore the significant influence of technology entrepreneurs in global wealth distribution. Notably, the combined wealth of the top 10 individuals added $512 billion, accounting for 30% of all new wealth generated during the year.
The list also highlights the growing concentration of wealth, with the number of billionaires nearly doubling every five years, from $36 billion a decade ago to $143 billion today.
This trend raises discussions about economic disparities and the influence of the ultra-wealthy on global markets and policies.
Johannes Mouton, founder and chairman of PSG Group, has reappeared on Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List as of March 2025, with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion (approximately R29.2 billion). This brings the number of South African billionaires on the list to seven.
Mouton’s wealth primarily stems from his 5.1% stake in Capitec Bank, where shares have surged nearly 50% over the past year, elevating Capitec’s market capitalization to over $18 billion.
Beyond Capitec, PSG Group holds investments in financial services, banking, private equity, agriculture, and education, significantly contributing to South Africa’s economy and employing over 45,000 people.
The updated Forbes list also highlights other South African billionaires, including Johann Rupert, Nicky Oppenheimer, Koos Bekker, Patrice Motsepe, Michiel le Roux, and Christo Wiese.
Johann Rupert leads with a net worth of $13.8 billion, making him the second-richest person in Africa after Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote.
Mouton’s return to the billionaire ranks underscores his resilience and strategic vision in South Africa’s dynamic business environment.
