The top 10 richest men in the world in October 2026, according to Forbes, are Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Larry Page, Michael Dell, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg, Jensen Huang, Larry Ellison, Steve Ballmer and Warren Buffett. Musk leads with an estimated $936 billion, far ahead of Bezos at $370 billion.
These figures are Forbes estimates as of 1 October 2026. Net worth moves every day with share prices, so the order can change within weeks. Technology and artificial intelligence now dominate the list, with eight of the ten fortunes tied to tech companies.
Quick facts: top 10 richest men in the world (October 2026)
| Rank | Name | Net worth (Forbes) | Main source of wealth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elon Musk | $936 billion | SpaceX, Tesla |
| 2 | Jeff Bezos | $370 billion | Amazon |
| 3 | Larry Page | $286 billion | |
| 4 | Michael Dell | $268 billion | Dell Technologies |
| 5 | Sergey Brin | $263 billion | |
| 6 | Mark Zuckerberg | $251 billion | Meta |
| 7 | Jensen Huang | $200 billion | Nvidia |
| 8 | Larry Ellison | $179 billion | Oracle |
| 9 | Steve Ballmer | $161 billion | Microsoft |
| 10 | Warren Buffett | $142 billion | Berkshire Hathaway |
The richest men in the world, one by one
1. Elon Musk: $936 billion
Musk is chairman, CEO and chief technology officer of SpaceX, where Forbes estimates he owns about 38 percent including options. He also owns nearly 11 percent of Tesla. Forbes reports that SpaceX made its Nasdaq debut on 12 June 2026, which pushed his fortune to a level no one has reached before. He is 55.
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2. Jeff Bezos: $370 billion
Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 as an online bookstore and is now its executive chairman. He also founded rocket maker Blue Origin and is co-CEO of the AI start-up Prometheus. Forbes says private valuations of these two companies lifted his net worth by $102 billion in a month, moving him back to second place.
3. Larry Page: $286 billion
Page co-founded Google with Sergey Brin and remains a controlling shareholder and board member of its parent company, Alphabet. He slipped from second to third in October despite his wealth rising. He is 53.
4. Michael Dell: $268 billion
Dell is the founder, chairman and CEO of Dell Technologies. Forbes says the company’s shares jumped 18 percent on strong demand for servers used in AI work, adding $28 billion to his fortune in a month.
5. Sergey Brin: $263 billion
Brin co-founded Google with Page and remains an Alphabet board member and controlling shareholder. Forbes notes he is involved in Google’s Gemini AI work. He is also a major donor, giving Alphabet shares worth about $1.1 billion, mostly to his nonprofit.
6. Mark Zuckerberg: $251 billion
Zuckerberg co-founded Facebook in 2004 and is CEO of its parent company, Meta, where he owns about 13 percent. Forbes says Meta’s shares rose 27 percent after the launch of its AI agent, adding $55 billion to his wealth. At 42, he is the youngest person in the top 10.
7. Jensen Huang: $200 billion
Huang co-founded Nvidia and serves as its CEO and president, owning about 3 percent of the company. In October 2025, Nvidia became the first company valued at $5 trillion. Huang was born in Taiwan and is a US citizen.
8. Larry Ellison: $179 billion
Ellison co-founded Oracle and is its chairman and chief technology officer. His wealth fell by $13 billion in the month to October as Oracle shares dropped 8 percent. He is 82.
9. Steve Ballmer: $161 billion
Ballmer was Microsoft’s CEO from 2000 to 2014 and owns the LA Clippers basketball team in the NBA.
10. Warren Buffett: $142 billion
Buffett led Berkshire Hathaway for decades and has since stepped down as its CEO. At 96, he is the oldest person on the list. Forbes estimates he has given away about $68 billion so far, much of it to charity.
Who is the richest Indian?
No Indian is in the October 2026 top 10. Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, is India’s richest person. Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List 2026, released in March, put his net worth at $99.7 billion, up from $92.5 billion a year earlier. Gautam Adani was second among Indians at $63.8 billion.
For more profiles of business leaders, read our people section. Market and money stories are in our finance pages.
How the list has changed
When TSA first published this list in 2020, Bezos was first and Bill Gates, Bernard Arnault and Mukesh Ambani were in the top 10. By October 2026, Gates and Arnault had dropped out, and newer AI-linked fortunes such as those of Jensen Huang and Michael Dell had moved in. Musk’s lead has also grown sharply because of SpaceX’s rising value.
Forbes has tracked billionaires since 1987, and its March 2026 annual list counted 3,428 billionaires worldwide. Interesting facts about money and success are also covered in our infotainment section.
Further reading: Telegram.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the richest man in the world in 2026?
Elon Musk, with an estimated net worth of $936 billion as of 1 October 2026, according to Forbes. Most of his wealth comes from SpaceX and Tesla.
Who is the second richest man in the world?
Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, at about $370 billion in Forbes’ October 2026 ranking.
Is Mukesh Ambani in the world’s top 10 richest?
No. He is not in the October 2026 top 10, but he is India’s richest person, with $99.7 billion on Forbes’ 2026 annual list.
Why do billionaire rankings change so often?
Most of their wealth is held in company shares. When share prices rise or fall, Forbes updates their net worth, so the ranks can shift daily.
Sources: Forbes Australia: Top 10 richest people, October 2026, Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Siasat: Forbes 2026 richest Indians.
