If you’ve ever wondered who is the most richest person in the world, the answer in 2026 is Elon Musk.
And we’re not talking about being a few billion dollars ahead of the competition.
Musk’s fortune is in an entirely different league.
According to Forbes’ real-time billionaire rankings, Musk was worth an estimated $869.9 billion as of August 13, 2026, making him the richest person on the planet by a massive margin.
That number can change quickly, however, because much of Musk’s wealth is tied to companies such as Tesla and SpaceX. In other words, the richest man in the world can gain or lose billions on paper without actually selling anything.
I know, it’s a bit strange but keep hanging in there with me for a second.
Here’s a closer look at Musk’s fortune, the billionaires chasing him, and why the title of world’s richest person is becoming increasingly fascinating.
So, Who Is the Most Richest Person in the World?
Who is the most richest person in the world according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaire List?
The person currently holding the title is Elon Musk, the entrepreneur behind Tesla and SpaceX.
Forbes ranked Musk No. 1 on its real-time billionaire list on August 13, with an estimated net worth of $869.9 billion.
For comparison, Larry Page, the co-founder of Google, ranked second at approximately $283.3 billion.
Jeff Bezos was third at $272.4 billion, followed by Sergey Brin at $261.4 billion and Michael Dell at $260.7 billion.
That means Musk’s estimated fortune was more than three times larger than the fortune of the world’s second-richest person.
Pretty wild, right?
You can follow the rankings directly through Forbes’ Billionaires List, which tracks the world’s wealthiest individuals.
Who Is the Richest Man in the World?
Who is the richest man in the world? Elon Musk.
The answer is still Elon Musk.
Musk has held the No. 1 position for an extended period, although his lead has not always been this enormous.
Forbes reported that Musk became the world’s first trillionaire in June 2026 after SpaceX went public.
His fortune briefly climbed above $1 trillion before falling sharply as SpaceX and Tesla shares declined.
By August 1, Forbes estimated Musk’s fortune at $690 billion.
But billionaire rankings move constantly.
By August 13, Forbes’ real-time tracker had Musk at $869.9 billion.
That’s a difference of nearly $180 billion in less than two weeks.
It illustrates just how quickly billionaire wealth can change when fortunes are heavily connected to company valuations and stock prices.
How Did Elon Musk Become So Rich?
How did Elon Musk become the richest person in the world?
Musk’s fortune isn’t sitting in a giant bank account.
That’s an important distinction.
A billionaire’s net worth generally represents the value of their assets minus their liabilities.
Those assets can include company ownership, stocks, real estate and other investments.
For Musk, two of the biggest pieces of the puzzle are SpaceX and Tesla.
Forbes’ current profile identifies Tesla and SpaceX as his primary sources of wealth.
Musk’s involvement with Tesla helped turn the electric vehicle manufacturer into one of the world’s most valuable companies, while SpaceX became a major force in commercial spaceflight.
He has also been involved with other ventures, including artificial intelligence and his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter).
That’s what makes Musk’s wealth particularly interesting: his fortune is largely connected to ownership stakes in businesses rather than a traditional salary.
The Billionaires Chasing Musk
Musk may be comfortably ahead of everyone else right now, but the rest of the billionaire rankings are packed with familiar names.
As of August 13, Forbes listed the following top five:
Elon Musk — $869.9 billion
Larry Page — $283.3 billion
Jeff Bezos — $272.4 billion
Sergey Brin — $261.4 billion
Michael Dell — $260.7 billion
The next group includes Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Ellison, Jensen Huang, Steve Ballmer and Amancio Ortega.
Notice something?
Technology dominates the top of the list.
Google, Amazon, Dell, Meta, Oracle, Nvidia and Microsoft are all represented among the world’s wealthiest people.
That tells us something important about where enormous fortunes have been created over the past several decades.
Why Does the Richest Person’s Net Worth Change So Much?
This is where billionaire rankings get interesting.
If a person owns a significant percentage of a publicly traded company, the value of that person’s fortune can change every time the stock moves.
Forbes says its real-time billionaire rankings update public holdings every five minutes while the relevant stock markets are open, with a 15-minute delay for stock prices. Private-company holdings are generally updated differently.
So when Tesla or another major asset rises, Musk’s estimated net worth can rise.
When it falls, his fortune can fall just as dramatically.
That’s also why different billionaire rankings can show different numbers.
For example, Investopedia’s August 1 ranking, which used Bloomberg Billionaires Index data, listed Musk at $684 billion.
Forbes’ real-time figure is much higher because it reflects subsequent market and valuation changes.
So, if you’re searching who is the most richest person in the world, it’s important to pay attention to the date and which billionaire index is being used.
Could Someone Overtake Elon Musk?
ROME, ITALY – DECEMBER 15: Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc and X (formerly Twitter) Ceo. (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
Absolutely.
History has already shown that the No. 1 position can change.
Jeff Bezos held the title for years. Bernard Arnault briefly surpassed Musk.
Larry Ellison also famously moved into the top spot during periods when Oracle shares surged.
But Musk currently has an enormous cushion.
As of August 13, his estimated fortune was about $870 billion, compared with roughly $283 billion for Larry Page.
That’s a gap of approximately $587 billion.
For someone to catch Musk, it would require either an extraordinary increase in their own wealth, a significant decline in Musk’s fortune, or both.
And considering how quickly billionaire fortunes can move, none of those possibilities are impossible.
The Bottom Line
So, who is the most richest person in the world?
In August 2026, the answer is Elon Musk.
He is also the richest man in the world, with Forbes estimating his fortune at approximately $869.9 billion as of August 13, 2026.
His wealth is closely tied to companies including Tesla and SpaceX, meaning the number can change dramatically from one day to the next.
And that’s perhaps the most fascinating part of tracking the world’s richest people.
The title isn’t permanent.
One market rally, one company valuation, one major deal—or one bad trading day—can completely reshuffle the billionaire rankings.
For now, though, Elon Musk sits comfortably at the top.
And with his fortune approaching the trillion-dollar mark again, the next chapter of the billionaire race could be very interesting to watch.
Net worth figures are estimates and can change frequently based on stock prices, private-company valuations and other factors. This article was updated using the latest available Forbes real-time billionaire data as of August 13, 2026.
Frank Nez is an American entrepreneur, journalist, writer, and investor. Frank's work has been cited by SEC and Congressional reports. Franknez.com is a personal finance and market news publication, dedicated to publishing content on money, investing, entrepreneurship, and retail investor news.
