5 Richest People In The World At The Start Of 2024

The 2024 TV and Film awards season is in full swing with ceremonies and award shows happening across Hollywood.

While these events host the biggest and brightest stars in the Entertainment industry, and one misstep could cause major backlash (we're looking at you, Jo Koy!), these celebs still pale in comparison to the real powerhouses!

Think of them as the real-life Roys from the TV show "Succession" -- they have the money, the power and even the scandal. This select group of individuals stands out as the epitome of wealth and influence. And with them, a misstep could mean a market crash.

Here's a list of the five richest people in the world at the start of 2024!

5. Mark Zuckerberg

The Meta Platforms co-founder and Facebook CEO has had a rocky past few years, finding his company in the middle of multiple investigations, lawsuits and billion-dollar fines. These, in turn, have also affected Mark Zuckerberg's net worth. 

From $97 billion in 2021, he saw his fortune drop to $67.3 billion in 2022 and $64.4 billion last year, according to data from Forbes. 

However, 2024 is proving to be a great year for Mr. Facebook! Zuck is starting the year as the fifth richest person in the world with a whopping $132.3 billion net worth. This is pushed by the 63% increase in Meta Platforms' stock price over the past six months. 

The 39-year-old businessman currently owns 13% of Facebook's stock and is busy raising cattle in Hawaii to create "some of the highest quality beef in the world."

In 2015, Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, pledged to give 99% of their Facebook shares over their lifetime to their advocacies and other charitable purposes. 

4. Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison may not be as popular as the other billionaires on this list, but he has an impressive portfolio and an even more impressive stash of cash just like the rest of them. 

The American business magnate is the co-founder, chairman and chief technology officer (CTO) of Oracle Corporation -- the technology corporation known for its software, cloud solutions and hardware products. Ellison helped the company become the "largest database software supplier and the second-largest supplier of business applications," Investopedia explains. 

As for his wealth, Ellison is worth north of $132 billion, enough for him to take the fourth spot in Forbes' richest people of the world list. He still owns about 42% of Oracle shares and has seen his fortune surge 123% from $59 billion in 2020 to what it is as of this writing. 

The 79-year-old magnate is so rich he bought around 98% of the Hawaiian island of Lanai for $300 million in 2012 and now resides there. 

3. Jeff Bezos

Seems gone are the days when the Amazon founder was the richest man on earth. That doesn't mean he's not super rich anymore. Bezos, who just celebrated his 60th birthday last Friday, is still a crazy rich American!

Jeff Bezos' net worth still stands at $176.9 billion. Even after stepping down as the CEO of Amazon and just owning 10% of the company, he still pockets more money than you can ever imagine. 

Today, he keeps himself busy with his space exploration missions through Blue Origin and partying with fiancée, Lauren Sánchez. He also owns The Washington Post.

His journey of taking Amazon from a modest online bookstore to the e-commerce behemoth it is now will remain nothing short of amazing and truly inspiring.

2. Bernard Arnault

Bernard Arnault screams luxury. Aside from being uber-rich, he also owns (he is founder, chairman and CEO) LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the largest luxury goods company in the world.

Arnault, who has a net worth of $183.7 billion to start 2024, oversees an empire of luxury brands that include Louis Vuitton, Dior, Bulgari, Tiffany and Co., Dom Pérignon and Moët & Chandon. 

Arnault's success is rooted in his strategic acquisitions and ability to identify and nurture prestigious brands. 

Bernard may be the richest Arnault, but he's not the only famous one. His son, Frédéric Arnault, has been linked to Lisa, a member of the global sensation BLACKPINK. The two have been spotted on dates together and were reportedly seen together at Disneyland Paris on Jan. 2. 

1. Elon Musk

Mr. Tesla, himself, still holds the crown for the richest person in the world in 2024! While he and Arnault have taken turns at the top spot over the recent years, Musk is currently enjoying a $46.5 billion lead. 

Elon Musk's net worth to start 2024 is at $230.2 billion! 

Musk, who is best known for his work in Tesla as the co-founder, also co-founded and leads SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink. He also owns 74% of X, formerly known as Twitter, acquiring it for $44 billion in 2022. 

According to Forbes, SpaceX is now worth nearly $150 billion -- it quintupled its value in just four years. 

Musk is a father to 11 kids with three women. Between 2020 and 2021, the 52-year-old genius sold all seven of his homes in California for a total of $127.9 million in a vow to "own no house."

Aside from leading some of the biggest, most important companies today, he is also busy playing "Diablo 4 AoZ" and breaking video game records.