There were more billionaires in 2024 than at any point in history, as the wealthiest people alive continue to accrue wealth in record numbers.
This is especially true among the upper echelons of the extremely wealthy. The 20 richest people in the world added $700 billion to their collective net worths in 2023, according to a Forbes analysis.
And while some billionaires built their success from the ground up, there are certain surnames whose appearances on lists of the world’s wealthiest individuals span generations. Walton, Ambani, Koch – these are families that are synonymous with the one percent of the one percent.
Most of these families got wealthier in the last year, according to a Bloomberg analysis. Strong markets further lined the pockets of families with generational wealth – enabling some members of these dynasties to spin their share of the wealth into other ventures. Experts note that when members of wealthy families have their own projects, it gives them a vested interest in their families’ broader financial concerns.
“When you empower individuals to pursue and support their own interests, the ROI is not only financial,” Nicole Clabaugh, president of client operations at the wealth management company Aquilance, told Bloomberg. “It also gives them a sense of ownership in the preservation of wealth.”
Click through to see the top 10 wealthiest families in the world, according to Bloomberg.
