MOSCOW – The world’s richest saw their cumulative fortunes increase by over 60% in pandemic-hit 2020, generating a record high of 660 new billionaires, according to the 2021 World’s Billionaires List by Forbes.
The Sputnik news agency reported that in total, 2,755 people landed on the list.
There are 493 newcomers – also an unprecedented number.
The novices include 210 individuals from China and Hong Kong, and 98 from the United States.
For the fourth consecutive year, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos tops the list with a net worth of US$177 billion (RM730.57 billion).
SpaceX and Tesla chief executive Elon Musk, who is now worth US$151 billion, skyrocketed from No. 31 to No. 2, while French luxury goods tycoon Bernard Arnault retained his No. 3 spot.
In fourth place is Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates with US$124 billion.
Alexey Mordashov, the main shareholder and chairman of steel and mining company Severstal, heads the list of Russian billionaires with a net worth of US$29.1 billion.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov debuted on the list of the top 10 Russian billionaires with a US$17.2 billion fortune, up from US$13.8 billion a year ago. – Bernama, April 7, 2021
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