Top 10 Richest People in America - 2023

The year 2023 has been a remarkable one for the richest people in America, who have seen their fortunes soar to new heights amid the artificial intelligence boom and the rebounding stock markets. According to Forbes, the 400 wealthiest Americans now hold a combined net worth of $4.5 trillion, up $500 billion from a year ago1. However, the wealth gap among the billionaires is also widening, as the top 10 richest Americans account for nearly 25% of the total wealth of the list2. Here are the 10 richest people in America in 2023, along with their net worth and main source of income.

1. Elon Musk ($251 billion)

The Tesla and SpaceX founder remains the richest person in America for the second year in a row, despite a turbulent year that saw him buy Twitter for more than it was worth, get into online feuds with world leaders, and challenge Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg to a cage fight. His net worth is unchanged from last year, as Tesla’s stock price recovered from a slump and SpaceX continued to make progress in its ambitious space exploration projects.

2. Jeff Bezos ($161 billion)

The Amazon founder and CEO is still the second-richest person in America, even after his divorce from MacKenzie Scott in 2019 and his stepping down as CEO in 2021. Bezos owns about 10% of Amazon, which has benefited from the surge in online shopping and cloud computing during the pandemic. He also owns the Washington Post, aerospace company Blue Origin, and several other investments.

3. Larry Ellison ($118 billion)

The Oracle cofounder and chief technology officer is the biggest gainer in dollar terms on the list, adding $57 billion to his fortune in the past year. The main reason for his wealth increase is the artificial intelligence craze, which has boosted the demand and value of Oracle’s software products and services. Ellison also owns stakes in Tesla, NetSuite, and Salesforce, among other companies.

4. Warren Buffett ($112 billion)

The legendary investor and Berkshire Hathaway CEO is the fourth-richest person in America, up $12 billion from a year ago. Buffett’s wealth growth is mainly driven by the strong performance of Berkshire’s portfolio of stocks, which includes Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, and American Express. Buffett is also known for his philanthropy, having donated more than $40 billion to various causes over his lifetime.

5. Bill Gates ($106 billion)

The Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist is the fifth-richest person in America, up $16 billion from a year ago. Gates owns about 1% of Microsoft, which has seen its share price rise thanks to its investments in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and gaming. Gates also has a diversified portfolio of assets, including stakes in Canadian National Railway, Waste Management, and Berkshire Hathaway. He is the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on global health and development issues.

6. Michael Bloomberg ($104 billion)

The former New York City mayor and media mogul is the sixth-richest person in America, up $14 billion from a year ago. Bloomberg owns 88% of Bloomberg LP, the financial data and news company that he founded in 1981. He also has investments in real estate, art, and philanthropy. He ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, spending more than $1 billion on his campaign, but dropped out after a poor showing on Super Tuesday.

7. Steve Ballmer ($101 billion)

The former Microsoft CEO and current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers is the seventh-richest person in America, up $21 billion from a year ago. Ballmer owns about 4% of Microsoft, which has benefited from the growth in its cloud and gaming businesses. He also has stakes in Twitter, Snapchat, and other tech companies. He is an active philanthropist, supporting causes such as education, health, and civic engagement.

8. Larry Page ($96 billion)

The Google cofounder and former CEO is the eighth-richest person in America, up $26 billion from a year ago. Page owns about 6% of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, which has seen its share price soar after announcing a suite of artificial intelligence tools in May. Page also has investments in biotech, aerospace, and renewable energy companies, such as 23andMe, Planetary Resources, and Makani.

9. Sergey Brin ($93 billion)

The Google cofounder and former president is the ninth-richest person in America, up $25 billion from a year ago. Brin owns about 5% of Alphabet, the parent company of Google, which has enjoyed strong growth in its core search and advertising businesses, as well as its AI and cloud divisions. Brin also has interests in biotech, aerospace, and philanthropy, such as Calico, Kitty Hawk, and the Brin Wojcicki Foundation.

10. Mark Zuckerberg ($92 billion)

The Facebook founder and CEO is the tenth-richest person in America, up $22 billion from a year ago. Zuckerberg owns about 13% of Facebook, which has rebounded from a series of scandals and regulatory challenges, thanks to its dominance in social media and its investments in artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and e-commerce. He also owns Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus, among other platforms. He and his wife Priscilla Chan have pledged to give away 99% of their Facebook shares to charitable causes.