On September 29, 1916, John D. Rockefeller, the founder of Standard Oil, became the world’s first billionaire. When will we see the first Trillionaires?
As the global economy continues to evolve, a new milestone in wealth accumulation is approaching: the world’s first trillionaire. According to various reports, five billionaires are currently on track to reach this historic threshold, potentially by the end of the decade. Here’s a look at the top contenders and how they could achieve trillionaire status by 2030:
- Elon Musk
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), is the frontrunner in the race to become the world’s first trillionaire. With a current net worth exceeding $250 billion, Musk’s wealth is growing rapidly due to his ventures in electric vehicles, space exploration, and social media. Reports project that if his fortune continues to grow at its current rate of 110%, Musk could become the first trillionaire by 2027. Tesla’s dominance in the EV market, SpaceX’s expansion in space travel and satellite internet, and X’s rebranding contribute significantly to this trajectory. - Gautam Adani
Indian industrialist Gautam Adani, chairman of the Adani Group, could follow Musk closely to become a trillionaire by 2028. With his conglomerate spanning sectors from energy and infrastructure to logistics and ports, Adani has seen a significant surge in wealth, particularly from his green energy and infrastructure projects. Despite recent setbacks, such as the Hindenburg report’s allegations, Adani’s diverse business empire remains poised for continued growth at an annual rate of 123%, putting him on course for trillionaire status. - Jensen Huang
NVIDIA’s co-founder and CEO, Jensen Huang, is also on track to join the trillionaire club by 2028. NVIDIA’s role in AI, graphics processing, and data center hardware has skyrocketed Huang’s wealth, with the company’s recent achievements in AI technology driving this growth. His net worth, currently estimated at over $77 billion, is projected to increase rapidly due to the ongoing AI revolution and NVIDIA’s dominance in the sector. - Bernard Arnault
Bernard Arnault, CEO of luxury goods conglomerate LVMH, could become a trillionaire by 2030. As the owner of brands like Louis Vuitton, Dior, and Tiffany, Arnault’s empire has benefited from the global demand for luxury goods. With a more modest growth rate compared to tech billionaires, Arnault’s wealth is still set to surpass $1 trillion thanks to the enduring power of luxury markets. - Mark Zuckerberg
The founder of Meta (formerly Facebook), Mark Zuckerberg is projected to become a trillionaire by 2030 as well. With a focus on expanding the Metaverse and other technological innovations, Zuckerberg’s wealth has grown steadily, with Meta’s social media dominance and exploration of virtual reality and AI contributing to his fortune’s growth. His annual growth rate, currently around 36%, keeps him in the race for this rare achievement.
These billionaires, across various industries from technology to infrastructure and luxury goods, are not only shaping their respective sectors but also pushing the boundaries of global wealth accumulation. If their fortunes continue to grow as projected, the world could see its first trillionaires within the next decade.