Current Ranking and Net Worth
The third richest person in the world is Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. As of the latest Forbes real-time billionaires ranking, his net worth is around 135 billion USD, placing him behind Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos in the global top three.
Buffett's wealth is tied to the market value of his Berkshire Hathaway shares and his private investment portfolio. The ranking fluctuates daily with stock prices, especially for Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares, which are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker BRK.B.
Main Companies and Business Background
Berkshire Hathaway is the core driver of Buffett's fortune. The company owns major stakes in Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, American Express, and Kraft Heinz, and operates insurance, energy, railroad, and manufacturing subsidiaries.
Buffett built his wealth over decades through value investing and long-term acquisitions, transforming a textile company into a diversified conglomerate. His investment philosophy and annual shareholder letters are widely studied, and Berkshire Hathaway's annual report and SEC filings provide detailed breakdowns of its holdings and cash positions.
Comparison With Other Billionaires
Elon Musk leads the global billionaires list with his stakes in Tesla and SpaceX, while Jeff Bezos remains second, primarily due to his Amazon shares and other investments. Buffett's ranking shows how concentrated wealth can be tied to a single publicly traded holding company and a few large public equities.
The Forbes billionaires list tracks these shifts in real time, updating rankings as stock prices and asset valuations change. For the most current figures, you can check the Forbes billionaires ranking page and the SEC EDGAR system for Berkshire Hathaway filings.