Top 5 Richest People in the World

Billion may be the new million when it comes to measuring the net worth of some of the most successful and influential people of our time. With personal finance, most of us know it’s not always about how much you make, but how much you save and own. This is why while salary is still impressive, net worth is also equally as important.

Let’s count down the top 5 richest people in the worth with some of the highest net worths to date.

5. Jeff Bezos

Photo: Flickr: Steve JurvetsonJeff Bezos is a 52-year-old American technology entrepreneur and investor who is the founder and CEO of Amazon. As of June 2016, his net worth is $42.2 billion. Pretty much everyone has heard of Amazon whether you use it for shopping, listening to music or streaming popular television shows via Amazon Video.

Bezos originally set up the global company in his garage in 1994 and left his good-paying job at a New York City hedge fund after hearing about the rapid growth of internet use. His strategic business plan and diligence allowed the company to grow into the global icon is it today. Just this past month, Bezos earned $6 billion in one afternoon after Amazon reported its most successful quarter in 22 years.

In 2000, he founded Blue Origin, a human spaceflight startup company. Bezos was also one of the first people to invest in Google in 1998.

4. Carlos Slim Helu

Photo: WikipediaComing in at 4th place is Carlos Slim Helu, a 76-year-old businessman, investor and philanthropist. Carlos started investing at the age of 11 and most of his wealth comes from telecommunication companies along with his personal shareholding.

Slim is the chairman and chief executive of telecommunications companies Telmex and América Móvil. América Móvil is Latin America’s largest mobile phone carrier and is said to account for a majority of Slim’s net worth. He is said to be Mexico’s wealthiest man with a current net worth of $50.3 billion.

3. Warren Buffet

Photo: Flickr: thetaxhavenWhen you think about investing, Warren Buffet is a name you may hear often as people refer to him as the most successful investor in the world. His net worth currently sits at $66.8 billion and he started establishing his wealth at the young age of 11. At 15-years-old, he had a net worth of $6,000 and became a millionaire at age 30.

Buffet is the chairman, CEO and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway as well as a philanthropist who’s pledged to give away 99% of his income to charity. Buffet attributes his wealth and financial success to value investing and frugality.

2. Amancio Ortega

Photo: ForbesAmancio Ortega is the second richest person in the world with a net worth of $73.3 billion. He is a Spanish fashion businessman and founding chairman of Inditex fashion group which is best known for its’ chain of Zara clothing and accessories stores.

Ortega’s net worth has steadily increased since founding Inditex in 1963, and to much surprise, he keeps his personal life very private. In fact, no photograph of Ortega had been published (or available) until 1999. He is known for living a very simple life.

1. Bill Gates

Photo: Flickr: Steve JurvetsonIt should come to no surprise that founder of Microsoft is extremely wealthy. Bills Gates is an American businessman, investor, philanthropist, programmer and the richest man in the world with a current net worth of $75.9 billion.

Bills Gates’ net worth has slightly dipped within the past year, he still earns way more money than he has time to give away. In 2000, Gates stepped down at the CEO of Microsoft in order to focus more on global philanthropy. In a 2013 interview, Gates said, “I’m certainly well taken care of in terms of food and clothes. Money has no utility to me beyond a certain point. Its utility is entirely in building an organization and getting the resources out to the poorest in the world.” He’s donated more than $28 billion to charities throughout his career.

Who is your favorite billionaire on the top five list?

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