Get All Access for $5/mo

Entrepreneurs Rank High Among the 50 Wealthiest People in the World From Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg to Jeff Bezos, the list of the richest billionaires in the world is full of people who started their own companies.

By Catherine Clifford

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Kjetil Ree | Wikimedia Commons | Robert Galbraith | Reuters | Amazon
Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos

There are rich people. There are very rich people. And then there are the wealthiest billionaires in the world.

Those wealthiest billionaires operate in a different orbit than the rest of us. They have the kind of money that most of us can't even properly understand.

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft, tops the list with a net worth of $87.4 billion, according a recently released report from Wealth-X, a Singapore-based company that compiles market research on the wealthiest individuals in the world. Amancio Ortega Gaona, the Spanish founder of trendy fast-fashion house Zara, ranks second on the list with $66.8 billion. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is fourth on the list with $56.6 billion, and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is eighth on the list with $42.8 billion.

Related: The Wild and Crazy Career Paths of 5 Self-Made Billionaires (Infographic)

The wealthiest people in the world come from all across the globe and a wide variety of industries, but one common thread is that many of the people on the list are entrepreneurs. Of course, there is no guarantee of financial success when launching a business. But it's definitely one path to the top.

For a bit of mid-winter inspiration, have a look at this newly released list of the 50 wealthiest people in the world. And then, get over your winter doldrums and get your hustle on.

Related: The Habits of Self-Made Billionaires (Infographic)

Click to Enlarge+
50 Wealthiest People in the World (Infographic)

Related: The Top 25 Self-Made Billionaires In the World

Catherine Clifford

Senior Entrepreneurship Writer at CNBC

Catherine Clifford is senior entrepreneurship writer at CNBC. She was formerly a senior writer at Entrepreneur.com, the small business reporter at CNNMoney and an assistant in the New York bureau for CNN. Clifford attended Columbia University where she earned a bachelor's degree. She lives in Brooklyn, N.Y. You can follow her on Twitter at @CatClifford.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Branding

ChatGPT is Becoming More Human-Like. Here's How The Tool is Getting Smarter at Replicating Your Voice, Brand and Personality.

AI can be instrumental in building your brand and boosting awareness, but the right approach is critical. A custom GPT delivers tailored collateral based on your ethos, personality and unique positioning factors.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Is the AI Industry Consolidating? Hugging Face CEO Says More AI Entrepreneurs Are Looking to Be Acquired

Clément Delangue, the CEO of Hugging Face, a $4.5 billion startup, says he gets at least 10 acquisition requests a week and it's "increased quite a lot."

Business News

Apple Reportedly Isn't Paying OpenAI to Use ChatGPT in iPhones

The next big iPhone update brings ChatGPT directly to Apple devices.

Growing a Business

He Immigrated to the U.S. and Got a Job at McDonald's — Then His Aversion to Being 'Too Comfortable' Led to a Fast-Growing Company That's Hard to Miss

Voyo Popovic launched his moving and storage company in 2018 — and he's been innovating in the industry ever since.

Business News

Sony Pictures Entertainment Purchases Struggling, Cult-Favorite Movie Theater Chain

Alamo Drafthouse originally emerged from bankruptcy in June 2021.