Alice Walton is the richest woman in the world in 2026, with a real-time net worth of about $119.1 billion according to Forbes on 8 October 2026. The Walmart heiress is ahead of Françoise Bettencourt Meyers of L’Oréal ($90.6 billion) and Julia Koch ($84.6 billion). India’s Savitri Jindal ranks eighth among women worldwide.
Billionaire figures move every trading day with share prices. This list uses Forbes real-time estimates checked between late September and 8 October 2026, so small changes in rank are normal from week to week.
Richest woman in the world 2026: top 10 at a glance
| Rank | Name | Net worth | Source | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alice Walton | $119.1 billion | Walmart | USA |
| 2 | Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family | $90.6 billion | L’Oréal | France |
| 3 | Julia Koch & family | $84.6 billion | Koch, Inc. | USA |
| 4 | Jacqueline Mars | $50.3 billion | Mars (candy, pet food) | USA |
| 5 | Rafaela Aponte-Diamant | $46.4 billion | MSC shipping | Switzerland |
| 6 | Iris Fontbona & family | $46.3 billion | Mining | Chile |
| 7 | Abigail Johnson | $41.6 billion | Fidelity Investments | USA |
| 8 | Savitri Jindal & family | $39.6 billion | O.P. Jindal Group (steel) | India |
| 9 | Marilyn Simons & family | $36.6 billion | Renaissance Technologies | USA |
| 10 | Miriam Adelson & family | $31.4 billion | Las Vegas Sands | USA |
Figures are Forbes real-time estimates. They are not audited and can shift by billions in a single week.
Also readTop 10 Richest Men in the World in 2026: Forbes List Explained
The 10 richest women in the world, profiled
1. Alice Walton: $119.1 billion
Alice Walton is the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, and her wealth comes mainly from her Walmart shares. She is known for her art collection and for founding the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Arkansas. On the Forbes 400 list published in September 2026, she was worth $118 billion and was the richest woman in the US.
2. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and family: $90.6 billion
She is the granddaughter of L’Oréal’s founder, and she and her family own more than a third of the beauty company. She is the richest woman in Europe.
3. Julia Koch and family: $84.6 billion
Julia Koch and her three children inherited a 42% stake in Koch, Inc., the US industrial group, after her husband David Koch died in 2019.
4. Jacqueline Mars: $50.3 billion
Jacqueline Mars owns a large share of Mars, the family company behind Snickers, M&M’s and pet food brands. Her grandfather founded the business.
5. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant: $46.4 billion
She is the richest self-made woman in the world. With her husband Gianluigi Aponte, she started MSC in 1970 with one ship bought on a $200,000 loan. Forbes describes MSC as the world’s largest shipping line, and each spouse owns half.
6. Iris Fontbona and family: $46.3 billion
Fontbona is the richest woman in Latin America. Her family controls Antofagasta, a copper mining company, along with banking and drinks businesses in Chile. Her rank against Aponte-Diamant changes often because their figures are very close.
7. Abigail Johnson: $41.6 billion
Abigail Johnson is chair and CEO of Fidelity Investments, the US asset manager founded by her grandfather. She is one of the few women on this list who runs the family business day to day.
8. Savitri Jindal and family: $39.6 billion
Savitri Jindal is the richest woman in India. She leads the family’s interests in the O.P. Jindal Group, with businesses in steel, power, cement and infrastructure. The group was founded by her late husband, O.P. Jindal.
9. Marilyn Simons and family: $36.6 billion
Her wealth comes from Renaissance Technologies, the hedge fund founded by her late husband, Jim Simons. The family is also known for large gifts to science and maths research.
10. Miriam Adelson and family: $31.4 billion
Miriam Adelson, a doctor by training, is the widow of casino owner Sheldon Adelson. The family holds a major stake in Las Vegas Sands.
Just outside the top 10
- MacKenzie Scott: $27.8 billion. Forbes notes she has given away about $26.4 billion to more than 2,700 nonprofits.
- Gina Rinehart: $24.9 billion, from Australian mining.
- Zheng Shuliang and family: $24.1 billion, from China Hongqiao, an aluminium producer.
- Diane Hendricks: $23.6 billion, from ABC Supply. She is the richest self-made woman in the US.
What changed in 2026
On Forbes’ annual billionaires list in early 2026, Alice Walton was worth about $134 billion and Bettencourt Meyers about $100 billion. Both have since slipped in real-time estimates, which means only Walton is now above the $100 billion mark.
Zheng Shuliang, who was in the top 10 on the annual list, has dropped to about $24 billion. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant has moved up to fifth place on current figures.
Richest women by region
- World and USA: Alice Walton
- Europe: Françoise Bettencourt Meyers (France)
- Latin America: Iris Fontbona (Chile)
- Asia and India: Savitri Jindal
- Self-made, world: Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
Nine of the top 10 inherited their fortunes or the businesses that created them. For more money rankings, see our Finance section, and for profiles of business leaders, visit People.
How we ranked this list
We used Forbes real-time net worth figures, checked profile by profile between 20 September and 8 October 2026. Where Forbes lists a person “and family”, the figure covers the family’s shared holdings. Forbes estimates are based on share prices, private company valuations and known assets, minus estimated debts. More explainers are in our Infotainment section.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the richest woman in the world right now?
Alice Walton, the Walmart heiress, with a Forbes real-time net worth of about $119.1 billion on 8 October 2026.
Who is the richest woman in India in 2026?
Savitri Jindal of the O.P. Jindal Group, with an estimated $39.6 billion. She is eighth among women worldwide.
Who is the richest self-made woman in the world?
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, co-founder of shipping company MSC, at about $46.4 billion. In the US, the richest self-made woman is Diane Hendricks.
Who is the richest woman in Europe?
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers of L’Oréal, worth about $90.6 billion with her family.
Sources: Forbes: Alice Walton, Forbes: Savitri Jindal, Forbes: Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, Databoks on the Forbes 2026 list.
