Records and the dominance of technology giants in the Forbes 2024 Billionaires list

USA is at the top with 813 billionaires

The vast majority of billionaires come from the top 20 earners, adding a total of $700 billion since 2023. While the USA takes the lead, China ranks second and India ranks third.

The USA is at the top of the list with a record-breaking 813 billionaires, with a total wealth of $5.7 trillion. The USA is followed by China with 473 billionaires (including Hong Kong) and their total wealth is $1.7 trillion. However, weak consumer spending and real estate crises in China have led to nearly $300 billion in wealth evaporating. India ranks third with 200 billionaires, which is a record for the country.

The year 2024 has been an unprecedented year for the world’s billionaires. The list of billionaires published every year by Forbes magazine is full of new records this year. According to the list, there are 2,781 billionaires worldwide, which is 141 more than in 2023 and 26 more than the previous record in 2021. The total net worth of billionaires is 14.2 trillion dollars; That’s $2 trillion more than in 2023 and $1.1 trillion more than the previous record in 2021.

THE GLOBAL ECONOMY AND THE RISE OF BILLIONAIRES

These increases were explained by the fact that global stock markets rose steadily despite adversities such as war, political turmoil and ongoing inflation. Two-thirds of the billionaires on the list became richer than last year; only a quarter experienced a decline in their wealth. The top 20 billionaires, who are among the highest earners, have made a huge profit, adding a total of $700 billion since 2023.

THERE ARE 27 NAMES FROM TURKEY

Important names from Turkey were also included in the billionaires list published by Forbes magazine in 2024. At the top of the list, Yıldız Holding Board Member Murat Ülker stands out as Turkey’s richest businessman with a fortune of 5.1 billion dollars. In second place is Kıraça Holding Board Member İpek Kıraç, with a fortune of 3.2 billion dollars.

The list also includes prominent members of the Koç family. Koç Holding Board Member Semahat Sevim Arsel and Chairman Mustafa Rahmi Koç are among the top 10 with their fortunes of 3.1 billion dollars. Şaban Cemil Kazancı, who has a large share in the energy and investment sectors, is also at the top of the list with a fortune of 3.1 billion dollars.

BAYRAKTARS ARE ALSO IN THE LIST

Bayraktar family, which started the production of UAV in 2008, found a place on the list as it became a world brand. Selçuk Bayraktar, the manager of Baykar, which has made a name for itself in the world with its UAVs, ranked 2410th with 1.2 billion; His brother Haluk Bayraktar ranked 2545th with 1.1 billion.

Turkey’s influential names in the field of technology and industry occupy a remarkable place in the list of global billionaires. There are a total of 27 names from Turkey on the list.

The dominance of technology moguls at the top of Forbes’ 2024 billionaires list is noteworthy. Names such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg and Larry Page control most of the wealth around the world. These technology giants stand out as the names that have adapted fastest to rapidly changing consumer behavior and digitalization since the pandemic.

Here are the technology leaders at the top:

1. Bernard Arnault & Family – $233 billion France, LVMH

2. Fashion & Retail

*CREDIT: FORBES / Kevin McGivern