Bill Gates heads the billionaire list once again after four years on the sidlines, so if you are a fan of Microsoft you can take a nice deep breath; but watch out-- Carlos Slim is not far behind. The world's top billionaires, a total of 1,645 according to the yearly study of Forbes Magazine, have an aggregate net worth of $6.4 trillion, up from $5.4 trillion a year ago. The financial crisis has apparently turned into a bonanza for them. Forbes also found a record 268 new ten figure fortunes. Did you think being rich was for men? Among the 268 new comers there are 42 women billionaires, another record. True, lot's of them received some pretty big inheritances from men.
A few steps down are the 500 richest. They are worth $4.4 trillion. The roll includes names like Warren Buffet and Mark Zuckerberg, but also Jan Koum, the founder of WhatsApp, and Alexander Vik, who--according to Forbes is the financier "who has enriched himself from every modern financial bubble and left in his wake countless scorned investors."
Only their lawyers know how much tax the top ten billionaires pay to governments or how much they donate to charity. Anyway, here is the list:
1. Bill Gates: Net Worth $76 B. Source of Wealth: Microsoft
Net Worth: $72 B
Source of wealth: telecom
3. Amancio Ortega
Net Worth: $64 B
Source of wealth: retail
4. Warren Buffett
Net Worth: $58.2 B
Source of wealth: Berkshire Hathaway
5. Larry Ellison
Net Worth: $48 B
Source of wealth: Oracle
6. Charles Koch
Net Worth: $40 B
Source of wealth: diversified
6. David Koch
Net Worth: $40 B
Source of wealth: diversified
8. Sheldon Adelson
Net Worth: $38 B
Source of wealth: casinos
9. Christy Walton & family
Net Worth: $36.7 B
Source of wealth: Wal-Mart
10. Jim Walton
Net Worth: $34.7 B
Source of wealth: Wal-Mart
11. Liliane Bettencourt & family
Net Worth: $34.5 B
Source of wealth: L’Oreal
12. Stefan Persson
Net Worth: $34.4 B
Source of wealth: H&M
13. Alice Walton
Net Worth: $34.3 B
Source of wealth: Wal-Mart
