Forbes Unveils 2025 Forbes 400 Ranking Of Richest Americans

Despite concerns over an economic slowdown, looming tariffs, and rising interest rates, America’s wealthiest individuals are more prosperous than ever. The 400 richest U.S. billionaires now hold a record-shattering $6.6 trillion, an increase of $1.2 trillion from last year.

The threshold to join this elite group has also surged to an unprecedented $3.8 billion, half a billion higher than last year’s cutoff and the highest in history.

Musk Holds the Crown; Ellison Surpasses Bezos

At the very top, Elon Musk continues his reign for the fourth straight year. With a fortune of $428 billion, he has become the first person ever to exceed $400 billion on the Forbes 400 list.

Larry Ellison has moved into the No. 2 position, overtaking Jeff Bezos (now No. 4), who had occupied the runner-up spot for three years. Meanwhile, Mark Zuckerberg sits at No. 3.

Trump Climbs the Ranks with Cryptocurrency Boost

President Donald Trump has made one of the biggest leaps this year. Ranked No. 201, he climbed 118 spots thanks to a major surge in his net worth, which now stands at $7.3 billion—up from $4.3 billion last year. His ventures in cryptocurrency have reportedly added billions to his fortune.

New Faces on the List

Despite the steep entry requirement, 14 newcomers joined the 2025 ranking. Among them are:

• Vlad Tenev, cofounder of Robinhood.
• Travis Boersma, of Dutch Bros Coffee.
• Edwin Chen, founder of Surge AI.

Many of these names reflect the ongoing AI boom, which has also boosted fortunes of figures like Michael Intrator and Brian Venturo of CoreWeave, along with longtime tech billionaires Steve Ballmer (Microsoft) and Jensen Huang (Nvidia).

Women on the Forbes 400

This year’s list includes 62 women, representing just over 15% of the total—slightly lower than 2024’s figure of 67 women (17%).

• Alice Walton, Walmart heiress, remains the wealthiest woman in America.
• Diane Hendricks, co-founder of roofing giant ABC Supply, continues as the richest self-made woman on the list.

Overall, 71% of listees are self-made billionaires, up from 67% last year.

Giving Back: Philanthropy Scores

Forbes also evaluates America’s richest on philanthropy, assigning scores from 1 (least giving) to 5 (most philanthropic).

• Three-quarters of the list members have donated less than 5% of their fortunes.
• A few standouts, like George Soros and Warren Buffett, have given away more than 20% of their wealth.

Billionaires Who Didn’t Make the Cut

With the wealth bar at $3.8 billion, 500 U.S. billionaires failed to qualify, including household names like Oprah Winfrey, LeBron James, and Taylor Swift.

“A Year Unlike Any Other”

“It’s been a year unlike any we’ve seen in four decades of tracking America’s billionaire class,” said Chase Peterson-Withorn, Senior Editor at Forbes. “The super-rich at the very top are richer than ever—and with influence over both the White House and the stock market, they’re as powerful as they’ve ever been.”

Additional Forbes 400 Stories

As part of its 2025 coverage, Forbes has published detailed features, including:

• Presidency Boosts Trump’s Net Worth By $3 Billion In A Year
• 14 Billionaires Who Joined The Forbes 400 in 2025
• The 10 Youngest Billionaires on the 2025 List
• The 10 Richest Women in America

About the Forbes 400

The Forbes 400 list provides a snapshot of wealth as of September 1, 2025, using stock prices and exchange rates from that date. The list counts individuals rather than multi-generational families but may include wealth tied to spouses or children in cases where the fortune originates from one founder.

For the complete ranking, methodology, and exclusive profiles, visit: Forbes 400.