Zuckerberg passes Bezos to become world's second-richest billionaire
Meta founder and Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has surpassed Amazon's Jeff Bezos to become the world's second-richest billionaire, with a fortune estimated at around $211 billion.
Zuckerberg's wealth saw a significant increase of $78.1 billion in 2024, propelling him ahead of Bezos and Bernard Arnault, whose fortunes are valued at $209 billion and $193 billion, respectively, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Meta's Growth
The rise in Meta's stock value, which surged by 72% this year and reached an all-time high of $595.94 on Friday, played a crucial role in boosting Zuckerberg's fortune. Meta is the parent company of popular social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and the messaging app WhatsApp.
In a recent development, Zuckerberg mentioned that Meta's AI venture, expected to become the most widely-used artificial intelligence platform globally, currently boasts approximately 500 million monthly users. He also anticipates that the platform will gain further traction with its launch in the European Union, potentially solidifying its position as the world's leading AI platform.
Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla and SpaceX, retains his status as the wealthiest individual worldwide, with a fortune valued at $263 billion, marking an increase of $33.8 billion compared to the previous year.
Together, Musk, Zuckerberg, and Bezos are the only billionaires with fortunes exceeding $200 billion. Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle, occupies the fifth position among the wealthiest individuals globally, with a total fortune of $183 billion, reflecting a $59.6 billion surge from the previous year.
