Elon Musk has changed the global wealth landscape by becoming the world's first trillionaire, with a net worth surpassing $1.1 trillion (approximately 1,672 trillion won). This amount is so vast that it is now being compared to national economies, making it difficult for even the wealthiest individuals in South Korea and Japan to catch up.
Musk's fortune surged following the public listing of SpaceX, marking him as the first individual in history to reach this financial milestone.
As of 2026, Musk ranks first on the global billionaire list, leading both the electric vehicle company Tesla and the space venture SpaceX. His estimated net worth of about 1,672 trillion won far exceeds the combined wealth of the second and third richest individuals.
In second place is Google co-founder Larry Page, with approximately 447 trillion won, followed by fellow co-founder Sergey Brin, who has around 412 trillion won. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ranks fourth with 378 trillion won, while Oracle founder Larry Ellison is fifth with 351 trillion won, and Dell founder Michael Dell is sixth with 342 trillion won.
Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Meta (formerly Facebook), is seventh with 296 trillion won, and Jensen Huang, founder of NVIDIA and a major beneficiary of the AI boom, is eighth with 269 trillion won. Bernard Arnault, chairman of the luxury goods group LVMH, rounds out the top nine with about 238 trillion won.
The disparity in wealth becomes even more pronounced when compared to South Korea. Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, is the richest person in South Korea, with an estimated fortune of about 54 trillion won. This means it would take the combined wealth of over 31 individuals like Lee to match Musk's fortune.
In comparison to Japan's wealthiest individuals, the total wealth of the top 16 richest in South Korea is around 208 trillion won, while Japan's top 16 hold about 318 trillion won. Even when combined, these figures fall significantly short of Musk's wealth.
Interestingly, the composition of the world's richest has shifted dramatically. Previously dominated by oil tycoons and financial magnates, the current top ranks are primarily occupied by founders of technology companies. Giants like Google, Amazon, Meta, NVIDIA, Tesla, and SpaceX now stand at the forefront of global wealth.
All eight individuals in the top tier are American, and most have built their fortunes in advanced technology sectors. Analysts suggest that industries such as AI, semiconductors, platforms, and space are driving the global economy and concentrating wealth in these areas.
Experts believe that the current billionaire rankings reflect not just a competition for wealth but also indicate the direction of future industries. By examining the list of the world's richest, one can discern where global capital is heading and which sectors are being recognized for their highest value.
Ultimately, while past wealth was derived from resources and manufacturing, today's top billionaires are generating wealth through AI, platforms, semiconductors, and the space industry, with Elon Musk at the pinnacle, holding assets worth 1,672 trillion won.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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