Taylor Swift and Sam Altman break into Forbes' billionaire list
Forbes' 2024 World's Billionaires List has welcomed two high-profile newcomers: American pop icon Taylor Swift and AI pioneer Sam Altman, co-creator of ChatGPT.
Taylor Swift dazzles with a fortune of $1.1 billion, while Sam Altman makes his debut with a cool $1 billion.
Leading the pack is Bernard Arnault, the French mogul behind the luxury empire LVMH, boasting an awe-inspiring wealth of $233 billion.
This year's compilation not only broke records with a total of 2,781 billionaires but also highlighted an unprecedented collective wealth of $14.2 trillion, signaling that the ultra-rich are richer than ever.
Taylor Swift, at 34, clinched her spot on this illustrious list after a year of monumental achievements, including a historic win at the Grammy Awards and dominating vinyl sales with her album "1989 (Taylor's Version)."
Her much-acclaimed Eras tour, featuring over 44 songs per show and raking in over $700 million in US ticket sales, played a significant role in her billionaire status.
Swift's influence extends beyond music. Her appearances at NFL games, cheering for her boyfriend Travis Kelce, have notably boosted football viewership, illustrating her midas touch across entertainment spheres.
The tech industry continues to make its mark among the wealthiest, with six out of the top 10 billionaires, including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, deriving their fortunes from this sector.
The US remains the billionaire capital of the world, hosting 813 of the globe's wealthiest, with China and India trailing behind.
However, not all tales are of ascent; 189 individuals have dropped off the list this year, particularly hit by economic downturns in China's consumer spending and real estate sectors.
Chase Peterson-Withorn, Forbes' wealth editor, marvels at this year's findings, highlighting the presence of a record 14 centimillionaires, each with fortunes surpassing the $100 billion mark. Amidst financial uncertainties that have affected the masses, the ultra-wealthy have seen their fortunes flourish.