The World’s Top 10 Richest People in March 2025: Elon Musk Leads Despite Losses

Tesla CEO Elon Musk remains the world’s wealthiest person despite losing $62 billion in February, as plunging Tesla shares and public backlash over his federal efficiency role dented his fortune.

Meanwhile, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg climbed to second place for the first time, overtaking Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, in a dramatic reshuffle of the global billionaire rankings.

Key Highlights:

– Elon Musk’s net worth fell to $359.5 billion, down from over $400 billion in December 2024, after Tesla lost a quarter of its market value. Protests at Tesla dealerships and declining sales in Europe and California contributed to the slump.

– Mark Zuckerberg ($230.7 billion) surged to No. 2 as Amazon shares dragged Bezos ($226.7 billion) to third place.

– Warren Buffett was the sole top-10 billionaire to grow richer, adding $14.9 billion as Berkshire Hathaway shares hit record highs.

– The combined wealth of the world’s top 10 richest dropped by $140 billion in February, now totaling $1.89 trillion.

Top 10 Richest (March 2025):

1. Elon Musk: $359.5B (Tesla, SpaceX)
2. Mark Zuckerberg: $230.7B (Meta)
3. Jeff Bezos: $226.7B (Amazon)
4. Larry Ellison: $204.6B (Oracle)
5. Bernard Arnault: $186.4B (LVMH, France)
6. Warren Buffett: $161.1B (Berkshire Hathaway)
7. Larry Page: $141.5B (Google)
8. Sergey Brin: $135.4B (Google)
9. Amancio Ortega: $121.9B (Zara, Spain)
10. Steve Ballmer: $118.9B (Microsoft)

Musk’s Turbulent Month

Musk’s wealth erosion followed Tesla’s stock collapse and his controversial role in the Trump administration’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where he pushed aggressive federal job cuts. Protests erupted at Tesla dealerships in the U.S., with critics linking Musk’s policies to the backlash.

Zuckerberg’s Rise

Zuckerberg capitalized on Amazon’s 11% stock drop, which erased $23 billion from Bezos’ fortune. Despite Meta’s own challenges, Zuckerberg’s $230.7 billion net worth now edges out Bezos by $4 billion.

Buffett Bucks the Trend

The 94-year-old “Oracle of Omaha” saw his wealth grow to $161.1 billion as Berkshire Hathaway shares soared 10% in February. His strategic investments in stable sectors like insurance and consumer goods insulated him from tech volatility.

Global and Gender Disparities

The list underscores stark imbalances:
– No African Representation: All top 10 are U.S.-based except France’s Arnault and Spain’s Ortega. Africa’s richest, Aliko Dangote ($15.8B as of 2024), remains outside the top 50.

– All-Male Top 10: The richest woman, Walmart’s Alice Walton ($107.5B), ranks 15th globally.

Source: Forbes Real-Time Billionaires List (March 1, 2025).