There are more millionaires than ever. Taylor Swift is among the 2,781 people with incomes above $1bn (£800m), up 141 from 2023, according to Forbes’ annual report.
The billionaires’ combined assets are estimated at $14.2tn, up $2tn from 2023 and greater than the GDP of every country except the US and China.
Their aggregate wealth has surged 120% in the past decade while billions of people throughout the world have seen their living standards decline due to inflation and the cost of living issue.
“It’s been an amazing year for the world’s richest people, with more billionaires than ever before,” Forbes wealth editor Chase Peterson-Withorn said. “A record 14 centibillionaires [$100bn] have 12-figure fortunes. While many strugglе financially, the suρer-rich thrive.”
Abigail Disney, Valerie Rockefeller, and Brian Cox as Logan Roy.
Suρer-rich tell Davos leaders to tax our riches.
Equality activists claimed the suρer-rich’s “staggering wealth” requires immediate action “to spread this wealth more evenly, proportionately and efficiently”.
Global Justice Now campaigner Daisy Pearson said: “It is unconscionable that a few individuals can amass staggering wealth while masses of the world live in Ԁire poverty. Exploitation and monopolization of wealth and resources allow them to wield immense control over daily decisions. Regulate these barons out of existence.”
The billionaire list is an annual computation of how much of the wealth created by the global economy is grabbed by a tiny caste of oligarchs rather than used to benefit humanity, according to High Pay Centre thinktank executive director Luke Hildyard. Spreading money more equally, proportionately, and efficiently should be the top priority of the next few decades.
Forbes’ list includes 265 newcomers this year, including Taylor Swift. Swift, 34, earned $1.1bn with her record-breаking Eras tour and concert film.
Bloomberg reported that the 44-plus song Eras tour, which lasted over three and a half hours, sold over $700m in US tickets before the 89-date foreign phase.
Bernard Arnault, the main owner of LVMH, is the world’s richest person, according to Forbes, up 10% to $233bn. Elon Musk is second with $195bn, up 8% from last year.