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Forbes 400: US billionaires richer than before, but not Trump
While ordinary citizens the world over struggle to survive the pandemic, the rich are getting richer.
Picture: Forbes
A worldwide pandemic cannot even stop America’s richest from getting richer, if the billionaires who made it onto the Forbes 400 2021 list are anything to go by. Donald Trump, however, didn’t make the cut.
The 40th annual Forbes 400 report shows that the collective fortune of billionaires in the United States increased by 40% over the last year, adding up to a whopping $4.5 trillion.
“Nearly all are richer than they were a year ago. The top 20 on the list are together worth a stunning $1.8 trillion,” Kerry A. Dolan writes.
Forbes400: Who made the cut?
To absolutely no one’s surprise, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made it to the top of the list. It’s a constant head-to-head between South Africa-born Elon Musk and Bezos.
Bezos versus Musk
Musk briefly overtook Bezos as the world’s richest person on 28 September after Tesla shares (TSLA) continued a four-month rally.
However, Amazon is now worth $201 billion – up by $22 billion from 2020 – meaning Bezos is once again in the lead. Which horse billionaire are you betting on?
“This marks the first time anyone on the Forbes 400 has been worth $200 billion or more,” Dolan says.
Despite Bezos’ latest wealth spike, Musk’s network increased threefold since 2020; he now has a net worth of $190.5 billion.
Zuckerberg and Gates
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is in the third spot after FB stock increased by 63%, which leaves Bill Gates in fourth, the lowest he’s ever been in three decades.
Gates had to transfer approximately $5.7 billion worth of Deere & Co and Canadian Railway stock following his divorce from Melinda French Gates in May 2021.
That also means Melinda entered the game for the first time, at 158th with an estimated net worth of $6.3 billion.
Where’s Donald Trump?
While a flock of young entrepreneurs made it onto the list for the first time this year, some of the die-hard billionaires weren’t as lucky, including the former US president.
It’s the first time in 25 years that Trump doesn’t appear on the list, with an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion.
The cut-off point increased from $2.1 billion to $2.9 billion, meaning 51 billionaires dropped off the list, including Oprah Winfrey, Brad Kelley and Timothy Boyle.
ALSO READ: Elon Musk becomes richest person in the world again, eclipsing space foe Bezos
The Top 20 richest in America
| Name | Source | Net worth 2021 | Up from (2020) |
| Jeff Bezos | Amazon | $201 billion | $179 billion |
| Elon Musk | Tesla, SpaceX | $190 billion | $68 billion |
| Mark Zuckerberg | $134.5 billion | $85 billion | |
| Bill Gates | Microsoft | $134 billion | $111 billion |
| Larry Page | $123 billion | $67.5 billion | |
| Sergey Brin | $118.5 billion | $65.7 billion | |
| Larry Ellison | Software | $117.3 billion | $72 billion |
| Warren Buffet | Berkshire Hathaway | $102 billion | $73.5 billion |
| Steve Ballmer | Microsoft | $96.5 billion | $69 billion |
| Michael Bloomberg | Bloomberg LP | $70 billion | $55 billion |
| Jim Walton | Walmart | $68.8 billion | $62.1 billion |
| Alice Walton | Walmart | $67.9 billion | $62.3 billion |
| Rob Walton | Walmart | $67.6 billion | $61.8 billion |
| Phil Knight & family | Nike | $59.9 billion | $39.2 billion |
| MacKenzie Scott | Amazon | $58.5 billion | $57 billion |
| Charles Koch | Koch Industries | $51 billion | $45 billion |
| Julia Koch & family | Koch Industries | $51 billion | $45 billion |
| Michael Dell | Dell computers | $50.1 billion | $35.6 billion |
| Stephen Schwarzman | Blackstone Investments | $37.4 billion | $19.1 billion |
| Len Blavatnik | Music, chemicals | $36.7 billion | $25 billion |
