Money blog: 10 richest people on Earth revealed – with less familiar name in top spot

Forbes has released its annual list of the richest people in the world, as the number of billionaires reaches record highs.

Some 2,781 people are worth a collective $14.2trn – with the top 20 adding $700bn to their wealth since this time last year, according to the news site.

Below are the top 10 of Forbes’ 200 richest people in the world, as of 8 March.

1. Bernard Arnault and family: The 75-year-old is the richest person on Earth, with a net worth of $233bn. From France he oversees an empire of 75 fashion and cosmetic brands, including Louis Vuitton and Sephora, under the umbrella LVMH.

2. Elon Musk: Dropping from the top spot, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, 52, is worth $195bn. 

3. Jeff Bezos: Close behind is the 60-year-old founder of Amazon, worth $194bn.

4. Mark Zuckerberg: Another familiar name in the top 10 is the founder of Facebook – now Meta – with a net worth of $177bn at the age of 39.

5. Larry Ellison: The founder of software giant Oracle, used by businesses to store and retrieve information, is worth £141bn.

6. Warren Buffett: The investor and CEO of multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, 93, is worth $133bn.

7. Bill Gates: Co-founder of Microsoft, Gates, 68, has a net worth of $128bn.

8. Steve Ballmer: A former CEO at Microsoft under Gates, Ballmer is worth $121bn.

9. Mukesh Ambani: His company, Reliance Industries, is the largest private sector corporation in India, with interests in retail, financial services, oil and gas, petrochemicals, telecommunications and financial services, making him worth $116bn.

10. Larry Page: Worth $114bn, the 51-year-old remains a controlling shareholder at Google’s parent company, Alphabet, where he stepped down as CEO in 2019.

One notable entry this year is Taylor Swift, with a fortune of $1.1bn.

Campaign group Tax Justice UK said those on the super-rich list should be taxed more by world governments to tackle inequality and climate change.

“We’re living through incredibly unequal times, lurching from one crisis to the next,” said executive director Robert Palmer.

“World leaders need to ensure the super-rich are paying their fair share, for example through introducing wealth taxes.”