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Meet The 10 Richest Tech Billionaires Today

Jeff Bezos

Meet The 10 Richest Tech Billionaires Today

There’s no doubt the tech industry has created some of the wealthiest individuals in modern history. The richest tech billionaires around have gotten to where they are today through countless innovations, endless upward momentum, and more than a few missteps, as well. It all led them on a direct course to the top of the pyramid, where many of them have stayed for years now. From software developers to technological innovators, from company heads to smart investors, these are the 10 richest tech billionaires today.

#10: Ma Huateng

One of the most valuable companies in Asia, Tencent, was founded by the tenth richest tech billionaire, Ma Huateng.

With a net worth of 37.2 billion dollars, Ma Huateng (a.k.a. Pony Ma) is the tenth richest tech billionaire in the world today. Serving as Tencent’s chairman and chief executive officer (not to mention founder), Ma sits at the head of the largest Internet service provider in Asia. Tencent goes so far beyond simply Internet service, though: the company is just as well-known for its technology, investments, gaming, and entertainment divisions, as well.

Tencent also oversees WeChat and all its various services and features. Based in China, the bulk of Ma’s massive net worth comes from his nearly 10% stake in Tencent as well as various real estate properties and works of art. With the continued growth of Tencent in Asia, there’s no doubt Ma’s wealth is only going to continue to rise going forward.

#9: MacKenzie Scott

If the name MacKenzie Scott sounds unfamiliar, it’s because she’s formerly known as MacKenzie Bezos. As Jeff Bezos’s ex-wife, Scott’s four percent stake in her former husband’s company, Amazon, has made her net worth a massive $37.6 billion. Dubbed one of the most powerful women in the world by Forbes, Scott’s net worth would surely be higher if not for her extremely generous philanthropic endeavors.

Also a novelist, in addition to being the executive director of an anti-bullying organization called Bystander Revolution, Scott has dedicated her life’s mission to donating half or more of her total wealth to charity. True to her word, she donated nearly six billion dollars in 2020 and around half that in 2021. She currently resides in Seattle with her second husband, a high school chemistry teacher. 

#8: Michael Dell

Businessman Michael Dell — CEO, chairman, and founder of none other than Dell Technologies, as you might have surmised — has amassed a net worth of $66.1 billion since founding Dell in 1984. After becoming the youngest CEO of a Fortune 500 corporation in 1992, at the ripe age of 27, Dell and his namesake company quickly skyrocketed to become one of the most lucrative and recognizable computer brands known to man. Rooted in Austin, Texas, not far from where his company calls home, Dell is not only one of the richest tech billionaires but also one of the 20 richest people in the world, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. With Dell Technologies still going strong and his other venture, MSD Capital, raking in plenty of cash from investments, there’s no doubt Dell’s not giving up his spot here anytime soon.

#7: Mark Zuckerberg

In October 2021, Facebook-owned social media platforms had a six-hour outage, causing Zuckerberg to lose $7 billion.

Surprisingly not higher on the list, Facebook — or should we say Meta? — CEO and co-founder Mark Zuckerberg is perhaps one of the most expected names on a list of the richest tech billionaires. Named the tenth most powerful person in the world according to Forbes, Zuckerberg and his work with Facebook, Instagram, and all other subsidiaries and offshoots of his recently renamed Meta Platforms have earned him a net worth of $67.3 billion. He’s used that money to collect ten different homes throughout the state of California and a few in Hawaii, as well. Whether or not his Metaverse becomes the next big thing will determine how much the net worth of his goes up or down, but for now, he’s enjoying a comfortable spot alongside some of his most legitimate competitors.

#6: Steve Ballmer

Steve Ballmer acquired the LA Clippers in 2014, growing his net worth by nearly $59 billion.

When you think of Microsoft, you likely don’t think of the name Steve Ballmer. However, the man was CEO of the company from 2000 to 2014 and currently owns the Los Angeles Clippers. Hired by Bill Gates in 1980, working his way up to President of Microsoft by 1998, and placed in the position of CEO just two years later, Ballmer left in 2014 but still enjoys a net worth of $91.4 billion. Based in the state of Washington, Ballmer still owns the Clippers from afar. After the team made it pretty close to the NBA championship in the 2019-2020 season, there’s no doubt he’s spending his time rooting for a win next year — especially considering his team hasn’t ever taken home a trophy in more than 50-year history. 

#5: Larry Ellison

Larry Ellison, halfway to being the richest tech billionaire, owns 98% of Lanai, the island he calls home.

Known best for his role as Executive Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of the Oracle Corporation, billionaire Larry Ellison also serves as the co-founder and former CEO of the Texas-based tech company. Currently enjoying a net worth of $106 billion — a pretty sizable step up from Steve Ballmer in the number six spot — Ellison spends his time living on the Hawaiian Island of Lanai. From his many homes to his fleet of yachts, his collection of planes to his passion for tennis, Ellison’s definitely not stingy in the slightest with his massive wealth.

#4: Sergey Brin

Coming in at number four is Sergey Brin, one-half of Google’s pair of co-founders. President of Alphabet Inc. until stepping down in 2019, Brin’s work on the world’s most used and most recognizable search engine has earned him a net worth of $107 billion – just ever so slightly above Ellison in the fifth spot. While Brin might not be the president of Google’s parent company anymore, he remains a controller shareholder as well as a board member of Alphabet. He’s also expressed interest in delving into crypto but is yet to make any real progress on that front.

#3: Larry Page

While Larry Page serves as the other half of Google’s two co-founders alongside Sergey Brin, it’s interesting to note that Page’s net worth is four billion more than his colleague and co-founder Brin: $111 billion. After serving as Google CEO for just four years between 1997 and 2001 and again between 2011 and 2015, Page leveled up and became CEO of the search engine’s parent company, Alphabet, in 2015. He stayed there for — you guessed it! — four years before stepping down in 2019 to remain a board member and controlling shareholder. Will he recuse himself from that role after four years, too? Only time will tell. For now, he’s living it up in California with his family.

#2: Bill Gates

Bill Gates color portrait
Bill Gates may not currently be the rich tech billionaire, but he’s topped an annual ranking 18 times.

Just as unsurprising as the inclusion of Mark Zuckerberg or the guy in the top spot is Bill Gates, the name synonymous not only with Microsoft but also with massive wealth (until Amazon’s executive chairman caught on and stole the spotlight away from him, of course.) Gates enjoys a net worth of $129 billion from his Washington home, though it’s not exactly clear how much of that wealth has been impacted or changed by his recent divorce from his longtime spouse Melinda Gates. Gates remains a technology advisor to Microsoft as well as a board member of the company and Berkshire Hathaway, meaning that earning more money is not ever going to be an issue for him.

#1: Jeff Bezos

Jeff Bezos
The richest tech billionaire, as of date, is Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.

From Amazon to Blue Origin, from original films to wise investments, it’s clear that Jeff Bezos and his enormous $171 billion net worth did not come from any one source. (Of course, it’s fair to assume that Amazon is responsible for a majority of it.) Known best for founding the online retailer as well as serving as executive chairman and one-time president and CEO, Bezos is beginning to spread out his ventures — take his aerospace manufacturer and SpaceX rival Blue Origin, for instance. Based in Seattle, Bezos has a pretty substantial lead compared to the rest of the pack on this list. What’s more, his net worth just keeps on increasing. Gates, Page, Brin, Ellison, and the rest of the gang will need to pick up the pace if they want to surpass Bezos. (It’s worth noting that SpaceX and Tesla icon Elon Musk might be worth more than Jeff Bezos, though the numbers aren’t totally clear enough to say for certain.)

Summary of the 10 Richest Tech Billionaires

  1. Ma Huateng 37.2 billion
  2. MacKenzie Scott 37.6 billion
  3. Michael Dell 66.1 billion
  4. Mark Zuckerberg 67.3 billion
  5. Steve Ballmer 91.4 billion
  6. Larry Ellison 106 billion
  7. Sergey Brin 107 billion
  8. Larry Page 111 billion
  9. Bill Gates 129 billion
  10. Jeff Bezos 171 billion

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the richest tech guy ever?

While he’s no longer in the top spot, Bill Gates is deserving of the title of richest tech person in history. His immense wealth has fluctuated over time, but considering he has topped the annual ranking 18 times in the last 23 years, Gates has more than earned this title (even if he doesn’t hold it now).

Who is the richest tech guy alive right now?

Forbes states that the richest tech person alive is far and away Amazon founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos, whose $171 billion net worth simply can’t be touched by anyone else in his league.

Who are the youngest tech billionaires?

Gary Wang, aged 28, is perhaps the wealthiest young tech billionaire with a net worth of nearly $6 billion from crypto. However, Kevin David Lehmann is arguably the youngest tech billionaire: at the incredibly young age of 19, he is worth $2.4 billion from German drugstores alone.

How many billionaires are tech billionaires?

According to Forbes, there are currently 332 billionaires who have earned their wealth from the tech industry. Surprisingly, this number is down from 365 in 2021.

How many crypto billionaires are there?

With so much talk about crypto and the amount of money it can make for the right investor, it might be shocking to learn that only 19 people — less than two dozen! — have made over a billion from crypto.

Does Elon Musk make money from Tesla?

From his time as CEO of Tesla, Elon Musk makes quite a bit of money from the electric car company. As a matter of fact, he owns about 24% of Tesla stock. While he and his work with Tesla, SpaceX, and other investments have earned him billions and billions of dollars, it’s not really clear exactly how much he makes or how accurate the numbers are. Rest assured, it’s likely over nine figures.

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