PHOTO: DEPOSIT PHOTOS
PHOTO: DEPOSIT PHOTOS
Kimberly Redmond//March 16, 2026//
Six billionaires from New Jersey are among the wealthiest people in the world, according to a newly released ranking from Forbes.
Altogether, the publication’s 40th annual World’s Billionaire’s list features a record 3,428 entrepreneurs, investor and heirs worth $20.1 trillion. That’s up from last year’s compilation of 3,028 individuals with an estimated worth of $16.1 trillion.
Forbes Senior Editor of Wealth Chase Peterson-Withorn described it as “the year of the billionaire.”
“The planet added more than one billionaire per day over the past twelve months as the AI-powered stock market boom boosted fortunes to previously unimaginable heights,” he said.
Between 2025 and 2026, the average fortune grew from $5.3 billion to $5.8 billion, Forbes said. The publication noted that 67% of list makers are self-made billionaires.
Altogether, the U.S. has the most billionaires, followed by China and India. The age range of the top 25 richest people runs from 41 (Mark Zuckerberg) to 95 (Warren Buffet).
Numbers for the compilation were calculated using March 1 stock prices and exchange rates. Forbes said it also reviewed other materials, such as shares in publicly traded companies and investments, to determine the ranking.

President Donald Trump’s estimated worth of $6.5 billion places him at No. 645 on Forbes’ list.
The publication wrote, “Trump … is an estimated $1.4 billion richer this year, thanks mainly to raking in crypto profits during his first year back in office and his half-billion dollar New York civil fraud judgment being thrown out.”
Among the record 390 newcomers on this year’s list include celebrities like hip-hop legend Dr. Dre, pop star Beyonce and tennis great Roger Federer.
Trump … is an estimated $1.4 billion richer this year, thanks mainly to raking in crypto profits during his first year back in office and his half-billion dollar New York civil fraud judgment being thrown out.
—Forbes
They join big names like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Oprah Winfrey, who debuted on Forbes’ billionaires list in the 1990s and early 2000s, and more recent additions such as Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift and Rihanna.
Another major trend is the surge of fortunes tied to artificial intelligence, with dozens of new billionaires and many of the $100 billion–plus “centibillionaires” benefiting from AI-driven growth, according to Forbes.
Although the ranking is still dominated by men, women continue to make slow and steady gains. Between 2024 and 2026, women have increased their representation on the list from 13.3% to 14%.
Three-quarters of these female billionaires inherited their fortunes. That includes the richest woman in the world for the second year running: retail giant Walmart heir Alice Walton, who is worth an estimated $134 billion.