# The 22 Most Famous Billionaires in History

> Oil barons and retail pioneers meet pop stars, athletes and the founders of the internet age. Some fortunes took a century to build; others arrived with a single IPO.

*By YPB Team · Published October 30, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-22-most-famous-billionaires-in-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Elon Musk** — score 1000/1000
   Tesla and SpaceX chief who became the richest person in the world.
2. **John D. Rockefeller** — score 960/1000
   Standard Oil founder widely called America's first billionaire.
3. **Jay-Z** — score 905/1000
   Rapper and entrepreneur who became hip-hop's first billionaire.
4. **J. Paul Getty** — score 768/1000
   Oil tycoon named the richest living American in 1957 and famed for his frugality.
5. **Taylor Swift** — score 740/1000
   Singer-songwriter who became a billionaire mainly through her music and touring.
6. **Michael Jordan** — score 664/1000
   Basketball legend who became the first NBA player to reach billionaire status.
7. **Rihanna** — score 664/1000
   Singer whose Fenty Beauty brand made her a billionaire.
8. **Mark Zuckerberg** — score 576/1000
   Facebook founder who became one of the youngest self-made billionaires ever.
9. **Sam Walton** — score 576/1000
   Walmart founder who built the world's largest retailer and once topped the US rich list.
10. **Jeff Bezos** — score 576/1000
   Amazon founder who held the title of richest person on Earth for several years.
11. **Larry Ellison** — score 576/1000
   Oracle co-founder who has repeatedly ranked among the richest people on Earth.
12. **Howard Hughes** — score 471/1000
   Aviator, film producer and industrialist famous for his fortune and eccentric life.
13. **Richard Branson** — score 471/1000
   Virgin Group founder whose fortune spans records, airlines and spaceflight.
14. **Bernard Arnault** — score 471/1000
   LVMH chairman whose luxury empire made him the world's richest person in 2023.
15. **Kim Kardashian** — score 345/1000
   Reality star whose SKIMS and beauty businesses made her a billionaire.
16. **Carlos Slim** — score 345/1000
   Mexican telecom magnate who was the world's richest person from 2010 to 2013.
17. **Oprah Winfrey** — score 345/1000
   Talk-show host and media mogul, the first Black woman billionaire in North America.
18. **Steve Jobs** — score 345/1000
   Apple co-founder whose fortune came from Apple and from selling Pixar to Disney.
19. **Bill Gates** — score 345/1000
   Microsoft co-founder who topped the world's rich list for years and gave billions to his foundation.
20. **George Lucas** — score 0/1000
   Star Wars creator who became a billionaire selling Lucasfilm to Disney.
21. **Warren Buffett** — score 0/1000
   The Oracle of Omaha, who built Berkshire Hathaway into one of the largest companies by investing.
22. **Jack Ma** — score 0/1000
   Alibaba co-founder who became China's best-known billionaire.

Tags: celebrities, business, entrepreneurs, billionaires