Who Were the Richest People in the World at the End of 2022?

In 2022, there were subtle shifts in the ranking of the world’s richest people. In December 2022, Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk ceded his title as the richest person in the world to another billionaire. 

Who was it? Using data from Forbes Real Time Billionaires list, we rounded up the six richest people in the world after 2022 came to a close.

Business magnate Bill Gates occupies sixth place on the world’s richest people list. Gates has a net worth of $103.9 billion, according to Forbes. He also ranks slightly higher on the Bloomberg Index, in fourth place with a net worth of $109 billion.

On Dec. 20, Gates published a year-end letter on his personal blog GatesNotes. The letter outlines Gates’ plans to continue a project in which he gives back the vast majority of his resources to society and his plan to combat climate change.

He acknowledged the possibility of fully exiting the lists of the richest people in the world entirely in the future.

“Although I don’t care where I rank on the list of the world’s richest people,” Gates wrote, “I do know that as I succeed in giving, I will drop down and eventually off the list altogether.”

Warren Buffett, chairperson of Berkshire Hathaway and legendary investor, occupies fifth place on the list of the world’s richest people. Buffett’s rank differs depending on the source. On Forbes, Buffett has a net worth of $106.2 billion as the fifth-richest person in the world. On Bloomberg, Buffett’s net worth is $105 billion and he ranks in sixth place. 

In a year-end letter published on GatesNotes, Gates acknowledged Buffett as the “secret weapon” behind Gates’ philanthropic efforts. Gates wrote Buffett’s gifts to The Gates Foundation now total $45 billion. 

Gates wrote, “It fills me with awe and gratitude and a sense of responsibility to make sure it is spent well.”

Depending on the list you’re viewing, Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder, may have a slightly different rank and net worth. 

Forbes Real Time Billionaires ranks Bezos in fourth place with a net worth of $109.2 billion. Bezos ranks fifth on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index with a net worth of $108 billion.

In third place is Gautam Adani, founder of Adani Group. He has a net worth of $128.6 billion, according to Forbes. 

Adani Group is cited by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index as the largest port operator in India. It is also India’s largest thermal coal producer and coal trader. In 2022, Adani Enterprises reported $9.3 billion in revenue.

Previously the world’s richest person since September 2021, Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk dipped to second place in 2022. Musk now has a net worth of $156.8 billion. 

Musk relinquished the title of the world’s wealthiest person after a decline in Tesla share price. 

LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault became the richest person in the world in December. Arnault is the first European to rank at the top of Bloomberg’s world’s richest list. According to Forbes, Arnault has a net worth of $180.2 billion. 

LVMH sells Louis Vuitton luggage, Christian Dior couture, Tiffany jewelry and Dom Pérignon Champagne.