The global financial landscape has witnessed significant shifts as Forbes released its latest rankings of the world's wealthiest individuals for September 2026. Based on data compiled as of September 1, 2026, the list highlights the immense volatility and growth within the upper echelons of global business. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk continues to dominate the rankings, maintaining his position as the richest person on the planet with a staggering net worth of 892 billion dollars. The month of August proved to be exceptionally lucrative for Musk, as his wealth saw an unprecedented surge driven by the performance of his primary ventures.
Elon Musk's Extraordinary Wealth Surge
Elon Musk's financial trajectory in August 2026 was nothing short of remarkable. His total net worth reached 892 billion dollars, solidified by a massive increase of 202 billion dollars within a single month. This growth was primarily fueled by a 33 percent rise in the share value of SpaceX and an 18 percent increase in Tesla's stock price. It's noteworthy that earlier in June of the same year, Musk briefly achieved the status of the world's first trillionaire, further cementing his influence in the global economy.
Setbacks for Google Co-Founders
While Musk saw gains, the founders of Google experienced a challenging month. Larry Page, the co-founder of Google, holds the second position on the list with a total net worth of 277 billion dollars. However, August wasn't kind to him, as he faced a significant loss of 15 billion dollars, making him the billionaire with the highest loss during that period. Page, who started Google in 1998 alongside Sergey Brin, remains a pivotal figure in the tech world despite this dip. Similarly, Sergey Brin saw his wealth decrease by 13 billion dollars, bringing his total net worth to 256 billion dollars. Brin now occupies the fourth spot on the list but continues to serve as a board member for Alphabet.
Competition Among Tech Giants
The race for the top spots remains intense among other tech leaders. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is currently the third richest person in the world with a net worth of 268 billion dollars. Bezos had surpassed Sergey Brin in July to claim this position, but he also faced a loss of 10 billion dollars in August. On the other hand, Michael Dell, the CEO of Dell Technologies, saw his fortune grow. With an increase of 12 billion dollars in August, Dell's net worth rose to 241 billion dollars, placing him at the fifth position. Michael Dell famously started his company while he was a student at the University of Texas.
Zuckerberg, Ellison, and Huang's Performance
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg continues to climb the ranks, holding the sixth position with a net worth of 197 billion dollars. Zuckerberg, who founded Facebook in 2004 during his time at Harvard, has seen his company expand Importantly into Meta. Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle, recorded an impressive gain of 25 billion dollars in August. This surge propelled him from the eighth to the seventh position, with a total net worth of 193 billion dollars. Meanwhile, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang moved down to the eighth spot despite earning 17 billion dollars in August. Huang, who founded Nvidia in 1993, now has a net worth of 191 billion dollars, but Ellison's rapid growth pushed him down one rank.
New Entries and Major Changes in the Top 10
The lower half of the top 10 list saw significant changes this month. Steve Ballmer, the former CEO of Microsoft and owner of the NBA team Los Angeles Clippers, made a notable entry into the top 10. Moving from the 11th to the 9th position, Ballmer gained 10 billion dollars in August, bringing his net worth to 155 billion dollars. On top of that, Amancio Ortega, the co-founder of Inditex (the parent company of Zara), displaced the prominent businessman Bernard Arnault from the top 10. Ortega, based in Spain, earned a profit of 5 billion dollars, reaching a net worth of 148 billion dollars and securing the 10th spot in the world rankings.
Forbes Top 10 Richest People List (September 2026)
- 1. Elon Musk: 892 billion dollars (Tesla, SpaceX)
- 2. Larry Page: 277 billion dollars (Google/Alphabet)
- 3. Jeff Bezos: 268 billion dollars (Amazon)
- 4. Sergey Brin: 256 billion dollars (Google/Alphabet)
- 5. Michael Dell: 241 billion dollars (Dell Technologies)
- 6. Mark Zuckerberg: 197 billion dollars (Meta)
- 7. Larry Ellison: 193 billion dollars (Oracle)
- 8. Jensen Huang: 191 billion dollars (Nvidia)
- 9. Steve Ballmer: 155 billion dollars (Microsoft, Los Angeles Clippers)
- 10. Amancio Ortega: 148 billion dollars (Inditex/Zara)