How Many Billionaires Are There In The World?

How Many Billionaires Are There In The World - Number Of Billionaires In The World

How many billionaires are in the world? 

In this article, you’ll learn about:

  • how many there are in total
  • which races, cities, countries, and regions have the most billionaires
  • which industries have the most 
  • how many billionaires inherited their wealth vs earned it
  • statistics on inequalities in wealth

Let’s dig in.

Table of Contents

The Hive Law Has Been Featured In

Statistics For How Many Billionaires There Are In The World

  • There are 3,311 billionaires, accounting for about $11.8 trillion in wealth.
  • The average net worth of a billionaire is estimated to be $4.1 billion.
  • The top 1% of the world’s population owns 44.8% of global wealth.
  • The next 9% of the population owns 40.6% of global wealth.
  • The bottom 50% of the population only owns 1.7% of global wealth.
  • The US has the highest number of billionaires in the world, with 614.
  • China is the second-highest country with 598 billionaires.
  • India is the second-highest country with 131 billionaires.
  • The industries with the most billionaires are technology, finance, and real estate.
  • Billionaires account for less than 1% of the world’s population.
  • Billionaires hold 34.6% of total world wealth.
  • The average age of billionaires is 63 years old.
  • The average age of billionaires in the US is 64.1 years.
  • The average age of billionaires in China is 59.4 years.
  • 64% of billionaires are over the age of 60. 
  • The top three billionaires in the world are Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Bernard Arnault.
  • The three cities with the most billionaires are New York, Hong Kong, and Moscow.
  • 28% of all billionaires inherited their wealth.
  • 70% of all billionaires are male.
  • 18% of billionaires have a college degree.
  • 7% of billionaires have a master’s degree or higher.

How Many Billionaires Are There In The World?

There are 3,311 billionaires, accounting for about $11.8 trillion in wealth. 

This number increased by 30% in the past five years. 

The combined net worth of these billionaires is over $13 trillion.

The top 10 billionaires alone account for over $1.2 trillion. 

The US has the highest number of billionaires with 724 individuals. 

These numbers highlight the growing:

  • concentration of wealth in the hands of a few individuals
  • power and influence that billionaires hold in our society

The billionaire class raises important questions about:

  • the distribution of wealth
  • economic inequality
  • the role of wealth in shaping our world

Billionaires By Region

Billionaires By Region# Of Billionaires
North America614
Europe775
Asia896
Middle East & Africa179
Latin America191

In North America, the United States is home to the largest number of billionaires. 

It has over 700 individuals on the Forbes Billionaires List. 

New York City alone is home to over 100 billionaires. 

This makes it the city with the most billionaires in the world.

In Europe, Germany has the largest number of billionaires. 

It’s followed by the United Kingdom and Russia. 

Many European billionaires made their fortunes in industries such as:

  • technology
  • finance
  • fashion

Asia is home to the largest number of billionaires globally. 

It has over 1,000 individuals on the Forbes Billionaires List. 

China is home to the largest number of billionaires in Asia. 

Hong Kong and India followed close behind. 

Many Asian billionaires made their fortunes in industries such as:

  • technology
  • real estate
  • retail

In South America, Brazil and Mexico have the largest number of billionaires. 

Individuals in these countries make their fortunes in industries such as:

  • mining
  • finance
  • retail

In Africa, South Africa has the largest number of billionaires. 

Individuals in this country making their fortunes in industries such as:

  • mining
  • finance
  • technology

Which Country Has The Most Billionaires?

Billionaires By Country# Of Billionaires
United States614
China476
India119
Germany103
Russia93
United Kingdom84
Hong Kong76
Turkey70
France63
Italy55
Switzerland52
Japan50
Canada49
Brazil48
South Korea39
Spain30
Taiwan26
Mexico24
Australia22
Indonesia19
Netherlands18
Sweden17

The US has the most billionaires with 614. 

In the United States, some of the wealthiest billionaires include:

  • Jeff Bezos
  • Elon Musk
  • Warren Buffett

Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, has a net worth of over $150 billion. 

Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has a net worth of over $100 billion. 

Warren Buffett, known for Berkshire Hathaway, has a net worth of over $90 billion.

In China, the richest billionaire is Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba Group. 

He has a net worth of over $60 billion. 

In India, Mukesh Ambani is one of the wealthiest individuals. 

He is the chairman and largest shareholder of Reliance Industries. 

And he has a net worth of over $80 billion.

In Europe, Bernard Arnault, the CEO of LVMH, is the richest person. 

He has a net worth of over $150 billion. 

Amancio Ortega, the founder of Inditex, is the runner-up. 

He has a net worth of over $70 billion.

Billionaires By Race

Billionaires By Race%# Of Billionaires
White79.5%1,879
Black1.9%44
Asian16.6%393
Hispanic1.9%44

This data presents the breakdown of billionaires by race.

According to the data, the majority of billionaires, 79.5%, are White.

1,879 billionaires belong to this racial group.

Asian billionaires make up 16.6% of the total, with 393 billionaires.

Both Black and Hispanic billionaires represent only 1.9% each, with 44 billionaires each.

Billionaires By City

CityCountry# Of Billionaires
New York City USA 105
London UK 75
Beijing China 72
Moscow Russia 69
Shanghai China 59
Hong Kong China 58
San Francisco USA 57
Mumbai India 53
Seoul South Korea 52
Singapore Singapore 49
Istanbul Turkey 47
Rio de Janeiro Brazil 32
Tokyo Japan 30
Los Angeles USA 29
Taipei Taiwan 26
Dubai United Arab Emirates 24
Johannesburg South Africa 22
Paris France 21
Madrid Spain 17
Shenzhen China 16
Bangalore India 15
Sao Paulo Brazil 14
Mexico City Mexico 13

New York City has the most billionaires with 105 billionaires. 

London follows closely behind, with 75 billionaires.

Beijing, China, ranks third with 72 billionaires.

Wealth Distribution

Level Of Wealth % of Population Number of People
Billionaires 0.000004%2,755
Millionaires 0.0017%37,406,100
$100,000 - $1 Million 0.89%183,562,100
Under $100,000 99.10%4,700,090,700

This data shows the distribution of wealth across the global population.

 Only a tiny fraction of the global population, 0.000004%, are billionaires. 

There are a total of 2,755 billionaires in the world. 

But the vast majority of people, 99.1%, have a net worth of under $100,000.

The data also shows that there is a significant number of millionaires in the world. 

37,406,100 people, having a net worth of $1 million or more. 

The majority of the population has a net worth under $100,000

183,562,100 people have a net worth between $100,000 and $1 million. 

This group is largely comprised of middle-class individuals

This data highlights the disparities in wealth across the world population. 

A small number of wealthy individuals hold a disproportionate amount of wealth. 

Number Of Billionaires By Education

  • 18% of billionaires have a college degree. 
  • 7% of billionaires have a master’s degree or higher. 
  • 56% of billionaires do not have a college degree.

The educational backgrounds of billionaires vary greatly. 

Only 18% of billionaires have a college degree

And a mere 7% have a master’s degree or higher.

This shows that formal education is not a prerequisite for being a billionaire. 

The majority of billionaires, 56%, do not have a college degree at all. 

This data challenges the assumption that a college education is necessary. 

This highlights the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation. 

Education may be beneficial for some billionaires. 

But it is clear that it is not the only path to becoming a billionaire.

Number Of Billionaires By Industry

  • Technology: 887 
  • Finance and Investments: 719 
  • Manufacturing and Industry: 545 
  • Real Estate: 277 
  • Retail and Luxury Goods: 112 
  • Other: 215

This highlights the significant role that technology plays in creating wealth. 

Almost one-third of all billionaires are in this industry. 

And the number of billionaires in these industries has increased over time. 

The number of tech billionaires grew by 41% between 2020 and 2021.

The top 10 billionaires in the world have a combined net worth of over $1.2 trillion. 

And the majority of their wealth comes from the tech and finance industries.

Factors Contributing to Billionaire Wealth

There are two main paths to wealth:

  • inheritance 
  • entrepreneurship

Both routes can lead to vast wealth. 

But they often come with different perceptions and implications.

  • 56.6% of billionaires are self-made
  • 43.4% of billionaires have inherited their wealth

Inheritance Billionaires

Inheritance billionaires are those who have inherited their wealth. 

These individuals may not:

  • have started their own businesses 
  • have worked their way up from entry-level positions

But they still have the same financial security as self-made billionaires. 

Inheritance billionaires often come from wealthy families. 

And their wealth gets passed down through generations.

Self-Made Billionaires

Self-made billionaires have earned their wealth through entrepreneurship. 

These individuals may have:

  • started their own companies
  • invested in successful ventures

found other creative ways to generate income

Self-made billionaires often come from humble beginnings. 

And their success gets seen as a result of hard work and perseverance.

Technology Billionaires

The impact of technology on billionaire wealth has been significant. 

The development of new technologies has:

  • created new industries 
  • disrupted traditional ones

This has resulted in massive wealth for those who capitalize on these changes. 

  • Jeff Bezos has a net worth of over $170 billion.
  • The number of billionaires has increased by over 30% in the past five years
  • 7 out of the top 10 richest people are tech billionaires.
  • Uber’s IPO gave Travis Kalanick $6 billion.
  • Uber’s IPO gave Garrett Camp $1.4 billion.
  • Airbnb’s IPO made its founders billionaires.

For example, Amazon made Bezos the richest person in the world. 

Uber and Airbnb have disrupted the:

  • transportation industries 
  • lodging industries

Technology allows billionaires to grow businesses more efficiently. 

Some say that billionaires’ contributions don’t match their:

  • power 
  • influence

And they should get regulated more heavily.

Looking At Some Wealth Inequality

  • The top 1% of the world’s population own 44.8% of global wealth. 
  • The next 9% of the population owns 40.6% of global wealth. 
  • The bottom 50% of the population only owns 1.7% of global wealth. 
  • The top 0.1% of the population owns 10.8% of global wealth. 
  • The world’s billionaires represent just 0.7% of the population and yet own 4.5% of global wealth. 
  • The world’s millionaires represent 3.2% of the population and yet own 33.7% of global wealth.

Impact Of Billionaires On The Global Economy

  • Increased concentration of wealth: Billionaires have a disproportionate influence on the global economy, as their immense wealth allows them to control market forces, to some degree. This increases the gap between the wealthy and the rest of society, leading to a greater disparity in incomes and wealth across regions. 
  • Influence over government policies: Wealthy individuals, like billionaires, can use their money to influence governments and sway public opinion. This can lead to policies that benefit the wealthy at the expense of the poor and middle classes.
  • Reduced economic mobility: The concentration of wealth among billionaires can make it difficult for people in lower economic brackets to rise up and become wealthy themselves. This lack of economic mobility can lead to a lack of opportunity and social stagnation.
  • Increased risk of corruption: When the majority of wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few individuals, the risk of corruption increases. This can lead to the misuse of public funds and resources, as well as the manipulation of markets and economies. 
  • Environmental damage: Many billionaires have access to resources that can be used to cause environmental damage. This can lead to increased pollution and resource depletion, which can have a detrimental effect on the environment.

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Header #5

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Header #6

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Header #6

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Header #6

Paragraph

Header #6

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Sub-Header

Paragraph

Outro

If you are facing a conviction of aggravated manslaughter, fill out the form on this page.

Our criminal defense attorneys have the experience you need to defend your rights.

This way, you don’t:

  • get wrongfully convicted of criminal homicide
  • spend decades in jail needlessly
  • never see your family or loved ones again
  • get wrongfully accused of a serious crime by police officers

You deserve a fair trial in the criminal justice system.

And, if you acted in self-defense, you need someone who can prove that.

We can provide you with that.

Talk soon.

Get A FREE Consultation!

We run out of free consultations every month. Sign up to make sure you get your free consultation. (Free $350 value.)

Share This Post With Someone Who Needs To See It

Other Studies, Laws, And Statistics