Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Rihanna named among America’s richest self-made women

Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Rihanna have once again been recognised among America’s wealthiest self-made women, earning spots on Forbes’ 2026 list of the country’s richest female entrepreneurs, executives and entertainers.

The annual ranking highlights women who have built substantial fortunes through their careers and business ventures. This year’s list includes 43 self-made female billionaires, with music and entertainment figures continuing to feature prominently alongside leaders in technology, retail and finance.

Taylor Swift ranked No 23 with an estimated net worth of $2 billion, making her the richest female musician on the list. Forbes credited her fortune to her record-breaking touring business, music catalogue and ownership of her work, while recent reports noted that she became the first musician to reach billionaire status primarily through songwriting, recordings and live performances.

Beyoncé and Rihanna were both listed at No 39, each with an estimated net worth of $1 billion. While both artists have enjoyed enormous success in music, their fortunes have also been boosted by business ventures beyond the recording industry, including beauty, fashion and consumer brands.

The ranking also featured media mogul Oprah Winfrey at No 16 with an estimated fortune of $3.4 billion and Kim Kardashian at No 25 with a reported net worth of $1.9 billion.

According to Forbes executive editor Luisa Kroll, the 2026 list reflects changing sources of wealth creation, with women increasingly building billion-dollar businesses in fast-growing sectors while also transforming personal brands into global enterprises.

The inclusion of Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Rihanna underscores their continued influence beyond music, with all three artists having successfully expanded their careers into major business empires while maintaining their status as some of the most recognisable figures in popular culture.