American pop sensation Taylor Swift has now made in world’s wealthiest individuals, joining the ranks of tech mogul Elon Musk on the latest Forbes World’s Billionaires List.
Swift’s inclusion marks her debut on the prestigious list, boasting a staggering net worth of $1.1 billion (£877 million). Alongside her, Sam Altman, the mastermind behind the AI chatbot ChatGPT, also makes a notable entrance with a fortune of $1 billion (£800 million).
Topping the chart, however, is Bernard Arnault, the powerhouse behind LVMH, the French luxury goods empire, and his family, commanding an estimated wealth of $233 billion (£185 billion).
Forbes reports an unprecedented surge in billionaire numbers, reaching 2,781 for the year 2024, representing an increase of 141 from the previous year and surpassing the prior record set in 2021 by 26. Collectively, these elite individuals amass an astonishing wealth totaling $14.2 trillion (£11.3 trillion).
Swift’s astronomical rise isn’t solely attributed to her musical prowess. Her domination extends across various domains, evidenced by her historic achievements at the Grammy Awards and her album “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” emerging as last year’s best-selling vinyl LP. Even her presence at NFL games to support her boyfriend Travis Kelce is credited with boosting viewership.
The concentration of wealth among the top echelons remains notably skewed towards the United States, with eight of the top 10 richest individuals hailing from the nation, with a significant portion amassing their fortunes within the technology sector.
Following Arnault, Elon Musk secures the second position on the list with a net worth of $195 billion (£155 billion), propelled by his ventures in Tesla and X (formerly Twitter). Amazon titan Jeff Bezos claims the third spot.
Despite Musk’s riches witnessing an 8% increase from the previous year, it falls short of his peak net worth in November 2021 when he became the first person to attain a fortune of $300 billion (£239 billion).
Notable additions to the Forbes list include basketball icon Magic Johnson, with a wealth of $1.2 billion (£950 million), and television producer Dick Wolf, renowned for the US Law and Order and Chicago PD series, also boasting a $1.2 billion fortune.
Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes’ senior editor on wealth, describes the year as “amazing” for the world’s wealthiest individuals, signifying a remarkable period of financial growth and consolidation for these elite figures.
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