Elon Musk
Elon Musk remains the richest person in America, with a net worth driven mainly by his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX. Tesla, the electric vehicle and clean energy company he leads as CEO, trades on NASDAQ under the ticker TSLA. SpaceX, a private aerospace manufacturer and space transportation company, is valued in private market filings and investor rounds. Musk also leads xAI and has significant holdings in X, formerly Twitter. For current valuation details, see the Forbes real-time billionaires list.
Musk's wealth fluctuates with Tesla and SpaceX valuations, but he consistently ranks first in U.S. net worth rankings. He founded SpaceX in 2002 and took Tesla public in 2010, building two of the most valuable companies in the world. His compensation at Tesla is heavily tied to stock options and performance milestones. SEC filings and Tesla investor relations pages provide details on his stock ownership and pay packages.
Jeff Bezos
Jeff Bezos is the second richest person in America, with his wealth anchored in Amazon, the global e-commerce and cloud computing company. Amazon trades on NASDAQ under AMZN and operates segments including online stores, third-party sellers, and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Bezos stepped down as CEO in 2021 but remains Executive Chairman and retains a large shareholding. He also owns the Washington Post and invests in space through Blue Origin.
Bezos founded Amazon in 1994 and grew it from an online bookstore into the world's largest online retailer and a leader in cloud infrastructure. His net worth is closely tied to Amazon's share price, with periodic sales reported through SEC Form 4 filings. Forbes tracks his wealth alongside Amazon's quarterly earnings and AWS growth metrics.
Bill Gates
Bill Gates ranks among the top five richest people in America, with wealth primarily from his co-founded company Microsoft. Microsoft trades on NASDAQ under MSFT and operates in productivity and business processes, intelligent cloud, and more personal computing. Gates stepped down from Microsoft's board in 2020 and now focuses on the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world's largest private charitable organizations.
Gates co-founded Microsoft in 1975 and helped shape the personal computing industry with Windows and Office products. He remains a significant shareholder, though he has donated billions to global health, education, and climate initiatives through his foundation. Forbes and Microsoft investor relations pages provide updated data on his holdings and philanthropic commitments.
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett is one of the richest people in America, known as the Oracle of Omaha and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. Berkshire Hathaway trades on NYSE under BRK.A and BRK.B and holds a diversified portfolio of major American companies, including insurance, utilities, railroads, and consumer brands. Buffett's wealth comes from decades of compounding gains through value investing and acquisitions.
Buffett has led Berkshire Hathaway since 1970 and is famous for long-term, disciplined investing in companies like Apple, Coca-Cola, and American Express. His annual letters and Berkshire Hathaway annual reports provide insight into his portfolio and strategy. Forbes tracks his net worth alongside Berkshire's holdings and major stock positions.
Larry Ellison
Larry Ellison rounds out the top five richest people in America, with his wealth tied to Oracle, the database and cloud infrastructure company he co-founded. Oracle trades on NYSE under ORCL and provides enterprise software, cloud services, and hardware solutions. Ellison stepped down as CEO in 2014 but remains Executive Chairman and Chief Technology Officer, with a significant stake in the company.
Ellison co-founded Oracle in 1977 and built it into a leader in database management and enterprise technology. He also co-founded Tesla board member and investor, and owns a large stake in the