Taylor Swift Joins World’s Richest on Billionaire List
Taylor Swift, the American pop sensation, has made her debut on the Forbes World’s Billionaires List, joining the ranks of the world’s wealthiest individuals. With an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion (£877 million), Swift entered the elite club alongside tech mogul Elon Musk and AI chatbot creator Sam Altman.
The list, topped by French luxury magnate Bernard Arnault and his family with a staggering $233 billion (£185 billion), includes a record-breaking 2,781 billionaires for the year 2024. This marks an increase of 141 individuals from the previous year, with the collective wealth of the billionaire class soaring to $14.2 trillion (£11.3 trillion).
Swift’s rise to billionaire status comes on the heels of her continued success in the music industry. With multiple Grammy wins and chart-topping albums, including the best-selling vinyl LP of last year, Swift has cemented her status as a global icon. Her influence extends beyond music, with her presence at American football games boosting NFL viewership.
In addition to Swift, notable newcomers to the billionaire list include basketball legend Magic Johnson and TV producer Dick Wolf. Meanwhile, stalwarts like Elon Musk, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, and LVMH’s Bernard Arnault continue to dominate the upper echelons of wealth.
Forbes highlights the exceptional growth of billionaire wealth over the past decade, with the top earners now collectively worth $2 trillion (£1.59 trillion). Despite global economic uncertainties, the super-rich have thrived, with 14 centi-billionaires joining the exclusive “$100 billion club.”
While the United States boasts the highest number of billionaires, China and India also feature prominently on the list. In the UK, hedge fund manager Michael Platt leads the ranks of the wealthiest individuals.
However, the list also reflects the volatility of wealth, with 189 individuals falling off, including notable figures from mainland China. Additionally, the passing of 32 billionaires, including business tycoons and political figures, underscores the changing landscape of global wealth.
