The Billionaire Shuffle: How the Bloomberg Billionaires Index Has Evolved Over Time

Since its launch in March 2012, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index has become the definitive scoreboard for global wealth. Tracking the fortunes of the world’s 500 richest individuals, it’s more than just a leaderboard—it’s a mirror reflecting the tectonic shifts in technology, luxury, infrastructure, and global finance.

2025 Snapshot: Who’s on Top?

Rank	Name	Net Worth (USD)	Country	YTD Change
1	Elon Musk	$378B	United States	-$54.5B
2	Larry Ellison	$305B	United States	+$113B
3	Mark Zuckerberg	$269B	United States	+$61.5B
4	Jeff Bezos	$243B	United States	+$4.37B
5	Larry Page	$180B	United States	+$11.3B
6	Steve Ballmer	$179B	United States	+$32.3B
7	Sergey Brin	$168B	United States	+$9.98B
8	Jensen Huang	$158B	United States	+$44.1B
9	Bernard Arnault	$151B	France	-$24.9B
10	Michael Dell	$141B	United States	+$17.4B

India’s billionaires continue to make waves:

• Mukesh Ambani ranks #18 with $99.5B, driven by Reliance’s telecom and energy empire.
• Gautam Adani sits at #20 with $79.7B, reflecting a rebound from earlier market turbulence.

A Decade of Billionaire Dynamics

Year	Milestone	Top Billionaire	Total Net Worth (Top 500)
2012	Index launched	Carlos Slim ($65.8B)	~$2.5 trillion
2016	Expanded to 500	Bill Gates, Bezos rise	~$4.3 trillion
2018	Bezos overtakes Gates	~$150B	~$5.5 trillion
2021	Musk tops the list	Tesla boom	~$7.8 trillion
2022	Arnault briefly leads	LVMH surge	~$8.2 trillion
2023	Musk regains lead	Tech rebound	~$9.1 trillion
2025	Ellison surges to #2	Oracle rally	~$9.8 trillion

Trends That Shaped the Index

• Tech Supremacy: From cloud computing to AI chips, tech moguls dominate the top 10. Nvidia’s Jensen Huang is the latest entrant, riding the AI wave.
• Luxury’s Volatility: Bernard Arnault’s fortune soared with LVMH’s global expansion but dipped amid shifting consumer sentiment.
• India’s Billionaire Boom: Ambani and Adani reflect India’s infrastructure and digital transformation story.
• Hidden Fortunes Revealed: Bloomberg has uncovered over 400 previously unlisted billionaires, including Ferrari heir Piero Ferrari and JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon.

The Great Fallouts

• Bill Gates, once a perennial top-three fixture, dropped out of the top 10 in July 2025—a historic first.
• Gautam Adani faced a sharp decline in 2023 due to short-seller scrutiny and regulatory headwinds.

The Wisdom Index: Billionaire Convictions

Bloomberg’s US Billionaires Investment Select Index tracks the public equity holdings of top billionaires, offering a peek into their long-term investment strategies. It’s not just about wealth—it's about conviction.

What’s Next?

As AI, biotech, and green energy reshape global markets, expect new entrants and dramatic swings. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index isn’t just a list—it’s a living narrative of ambition, innovation, and economic power.