Private dynasties
Alghanim family
- Finding
- $1.3B dated individual estimate
- Research boundary
- Larger private group spans numerous markets.
- Source
- Forbes
- As of
- 2020
- Confidence
- Medium
The 2026 global wealth index · provisional
Who holds the world's greatest fortunes?
A clear, searchable guide to the people, industries and places shaping private wealth around the world.
3428Directory profiles
80Countries represented
$20.1TProvisional reported total
18Industries mapped
01 / The index
Wealth, put in context.
Rankings tell only part of the story. This index connects every fortune to its source, geography and industry, making it easier to see where economic power is accumulating—and how quickly it moves.
2026 annual index · provisional
World billionaire directory
Current estimates and positions are a dated external reference snapshot from March 1, 2026. They are provisional while our first-party valuation methodology and rights review are completed.
Supplemental research records are placed near an attributed public figure solely for discovery. They remain NR and are excluded from annual ranks, counts, totals and structured net-worth data.
| Provisional rank | Person | Reported amount | Country | Wealth source | Industry | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1376 | Shen Xiqiang & familyAge 78 | $3.1BExternal annual reference | China | Chemical | Energy | Forbes profile | |
| 1376 | Thomas WuAge 75 | $3.1BExternal annual reference | Taiwan | Finance | Finance | Forbes profile | |
| 1376 | Wilhelm Beier & familyAge 69 | $3.1BExternal annual reference | Germany | Pharmaceuticals | Healthcare | Forbes profile | |
| 1376 | Xiao HongxingAge 58 | $3.1BExternal annual reference | China | manufacturing | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1376 | Ye QiongjiuAge 71 | $3.1BExternal annual reference | China | Software | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1376 | Zahan MistryAge 27 | $3.1BExternal annual reference | Ireland | Diversified | Diversified | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Ajay PiramalAge 70 | $3BExternal annual reference | India | Pharmaceuticals | Healthcare | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Alberto PalatchiAge 76 | $3BExternal annual reference | Spain | Wedding dresses | Fashion and Retail | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Anatoly SedykhAge 61 | $3BExternal annual reference | Russia | Steel pipes | Metals and Mining | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Cao Longxiang & familyAge 68 | $3BExternal annual reference | China | Pharmaceuticals | Healthcare | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Choo Chong NgenAge 72 | $3BExternal annual reference | Singapore | Hotels | Real Estate | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Christina RohdeAge 50 | $3BExternal annual reference | Germany | Electrical Equipment | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Dmitry PumpyanskyAge 61 | $3BExternal annual reference | Russia | Steel pipes | Metals and Mining | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Edward BassAge 80 | $3BExternal annual reference | USA | Oil, investments | Energy | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Francois Feuillet & familyAge 77 | $3BExternal annual reference | France | Motorhomes, RVs | Automotive | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Gerald FrereAge 74 | $3BExternal annual reference | Belgium | Steel, investments | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Gudrun HeineAge 71 | $3BExternal annual reference | Germany | Medical devices | Healthcare | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Hermanto TanokoAge 63 | $3BExternal annual reference | Indonesia | Paints | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Huang Xiaofen & familyAge 64 | $3BExternal annual reference | China | Printed circuit boards | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | J. Tomilson HillAge 77 | $3BExternal annual reference | USA | Investments | Finance | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Jerry YangAge 57 | $3BExternal annual reference | USA | Yahoo | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Joel GreenbergAge 68 | $3BExternal annual reference | USA | Trading, investments | Finance | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | John Paul DeJoriaAge 81 | $3BExternal annual reference | USA | Hair products, tequila | Fashion and Retail | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Martin ViessmannAge 72 | $3BExternal annual reference | Germany | Heating and cooling equipment | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Michael S. SmithAge 70 | $3BExternal annual reference | USA | Liquefied natural gas | Energy | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Mohamed AlabbarAge 69 | $3BExternal annual reference | United Arab Emirates | Real estate, restaurants | Diversified | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | P.V. Ramprasad ReddyAge 67 | $3BExternal annual reference | India | Pharmaceuticals | Healthcare | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Pham Thu HuongAge 56 | $3BExternal annual reference | Vietnam | Diversified | Diversified | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Richard ChandlerAge 67 | $3BExternal annual reference | New Zealand | Investments | Finance | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Robert SandsAge 67 | $3BExternal annual reference | USA | Liquor | Food and Beverage | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Sebastian GlaserAge 47 | $3BExternal annual reference | Germany | Sensor technology | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Sergei PopovAge 54 | $3BExternal annual reference | Russia | Banking | Finance | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Shmuel HarlapAge 81 | $3BExternal annual reference | Israel | Automotive | Automotive | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Sybill StorzAge 88 | $3BExternal annual reference | Germany | Medical devices | Healthcare | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Thomas KwokAge 74 | $3BExternal annual reference | Hong Kong | Real estate | Real Estate | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Yu ZhuyunAge 52 | $3BExternal annual reference | China | Diversified | Construction | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Zhang LeiAge 53 | $3BExternal annual reference | Singapore | Investments | Finance | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Zhang Xinghai & familyAge 63 | $3BExternal annual reference | China | Machinery | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Zhao YanAge 59 | $3BExternal annual reference | China | Biotech | Diversified | Forbes profile | |
| 1406 | Zhuo JunAge 60 | $3BExternal annual reference | Hong Kong | Printed circuit boards | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Akio NitoriAge 82 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | Japan | Home furnishings | Fashion and Retail | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Alexis Lê-QuôcAge 51 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | USA | Cloud computing | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Annalisa DorisAge 55 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | Italy | Financial services | Finance | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Balkrishan GoenkaAge 59 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | India | Diversified | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Chang Kuo-HuaAge 71 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | Taiwan | Shipping, airlines | Logistics | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Chao Chung-HsinAge 71 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | Taiwan | Cooling devices and components | Manufacturing | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Chao Teng-hsiungAge 81 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | Taiwan | Real estate | Real Estate | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Chi YufengAge 55 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | China | Software | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Cho Jyh-jerAge 70 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | Taiwan | Semiconductors | Technology | Forbes profile | |
| 1440 | Craig McCawAge 76 | $2.9BExternal annual reference | USA | Telecom | Telecom | Forbes profile |
Beyond the list
Explore wealth from every angle
Global archive
The richest people ever
Fortunes across centuries, translated into a modern frame of reference.Explore collection →
Dynastic wealth
The wealthiest families
The businesses, inheritances and holdings behind multigenerational fortunes.Explore collection →
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From Wakanda to Wayne Enterprises: imagined wealth, ranked and explained.Explore collection →Research beyond conventional rankings
Unmeasured fortunes
52 research records examine private dynasties, royal houses, political networks and foundation structures that cannot responsibly be reduced to a conventional personal-wealth ranking.
Substantiated
Independent evidence supports private or collective wealth exceeding $1 billion.
Qualified
Likely multibillion-dollar wealth, but shared, dated or not individually divisible.
Control
Oversees major assets that cannot responsibly be treated as personal property.
Historical
Previously extracted, hidden or recovered money—not present-day net worth.
Disputed
Material public claims exist, but ownership or present wealth remains unresolved.
Unproven
A significant subject whose billionaire status has not been established.
Reading rule
These are research records, not a combined ranking. Source-pending figures are leads for review, not verified values; people and families are never added together.
Substantiated
Private dynasties
Brenninkmeijer family
- Finding
- Approximately $39B
- Research boundary
- C&A and COFRA wealth distributed across an extended family.
- Source
- Bloomberg
- As of
- 2025
- Confidence
- High at family level
Private dynasties
Brescia/Breca family
- Finding
- Approximately $7.44B family pool
- Research boundary
- Mining, insurance, banking, fishing and property.
- Source
- Gestión
- As of
- 2025
- Confidence
- Medium-high
Royal houses and rulers
King Maha Vajiralongkorn
- Finding
- More than $30B under discretion
- Research boundary
- Transferred Crown Property assets retain a contested institutional history.
- Source
- The Guardian
- As of
- 2018
- Confidence
- Medium
Royal houses and rulers
King Mohammed VI
- Finding
- $5.7B historical estimate
- Research boundary
- Holding-company interests; previously listed rather than never measured.
- Source
- Forbes
- As of
- 2015
- Confidence
- Medium
Private dynasties
Merck family of Germany
- Finding
- Approximately €24.5B collective
- Research boundary
- Founding family owns 70.274% of Merck KGaA.
- Source
- Merck disclosure
- As of
- 2025
- Confidence
- High
02 / Method
A snapshot, not a scoreboard.
Net worth is an estimate, not a bank balance. The current annual directory is a provisional external reference. Our research programme is building a governed, first-party valuation record with ownership evidence, sources, review dates and clear limits.
Read our editorial methodology →