The 10 richest billionaires in the world in 2020, despite coronavirus
Even though their wealth may have decreased because of the coronavirus, these 10 billionaires have stayed at the top
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The coronavirus has hit the global economy hard -- and that includes even the richest people in the world.
Forbes recently published its annual list of billionaires and found that the number of billionaires has dropped significantly because of the pandemic -- and even among those still on the list, more than half saw their wealth decrease.
There were 2,095 billionaires on the list when it was finalized on March 18, according to the business website. That was 58 fewer billionaires than last year and 226 fewer than at the beginning of the month, Forbes reported.
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All 2,095 billionaires are worth about $8 trillion, which is $700 billion less than they did in 2019, according to Forbes.
Of course, with the markets in flux because of the coronavirus, each billionaire’s net worth also fluctuates depending on the day. To see how each of the 2,095 billionaires are faring each day, Forbes also created a real-time net worth tracker.
In its overall report, the website also found that the country with the most billionaires was the U.S., with 614. China (which includes Hong Kong and Macao) followed in second place, with 456 billionaires.
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It also reported that 267 people who were billionaires last year are no longer billionaires and 178 new people have reached billionaire status this year.
To see which individual billionaires were at the top of the list, here are the 10 richest people in the world and where they're from, according to Forbes' list of "The Richest in 2020."
10. Rob Walton - U.S.
Rob Walton, 75, was worth about $54.1 billion on March 18, according to Forbes. Walton is the eldest son of the founder of Walmart, Sam Walton, and served as the chairman of the company from 1992 until 2015.
9. Alice Walton - U.S.
Members of the Walton family are pictured in 2018. From left to right: Jim Walton, Alice Walton, Jim's wife Lynne McNabb Walton, Rob Walton's wife Melani Lowman Walton and Rob Walton. (Photo by Rick T. Wilking/Getty Images)
Alice Walton, 70, was worth $54.4 billion on March 18. She is Sam Walton's only daughter and is also the richest woman on Forbes' 2020 list.
8. Jim Walton - U.S.
Jim Walton, 71, was the richest Walton on March 18 with a net worth of $54.6 billion. According to Forbes, Jim Walton gave away $1.2 billion in Walmart in June last year, but kept his wealth because of a 44 percent stake in Arvest Bank.
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7. Mark Zuckerberg - U.S.
Mark Zuckerberg, 35, was worth $54.7 billion on March 18. Zuckerberg founded social media site Facebook in 2004.
6. Amancio Ortega - Spain
Amancio Ortega, 84, was the wealthiest clothing retailer in the world on March 18, with a net worth of $55.1 billion, according to Forbes. In 1975 he and his ex-wife Rosalia Mera founded Inditex, which is best known for the fashion chain Zara, Forbes reported.
5. Larry Ellison - U.S.
Larry Ellison, 75, was worth $59 billion on March 18. In 1977, he founded Oracle, a software company and today he serves as the chairman of the board and the chief technology officer, according to Forbes.
4. Warren Buffett - U.S.
Warren Buffett, 89, was worth $67.5 billion on March 18. Buffett is one of the most successful investors of all time, according to Forbes. He also runs Berkshire Hathaway, which owns more than 60 companies.
Previously, Buffett was the third-wealthiest person in the world before Bernard Arnault took his spot this year.
3. Bernard Arnault & Family - France
Bernard Arnault was worth $76 billion on March 18, according to Forbes. (Photo by Michel SETBOUN/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Bernard Arnault, 71, and his family were worth $76 billion on March 18. Arnault is the CEO of luxury goods company LVMH, which includes Louis Vuitton and Sephora brands. Last year, the company bought Tiffany & Co. for $16.2 billion, which could be the largest luxury brand acquisition, Forbes reported.
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2. Bill Gates - U.S.
Bill Gates is pictured in 2017. He was worth $98 billion on March 18, according to Forbes. (REUTERS/Pierre Albouy)
Bill Gates, 64, was worth $98 billion on March 18, according to Forbes. Gates and his wife Melinda chair the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is the largest private charitable foundation in the world, Forbes reported.
1. Jeff Bezos - U.S.
CEO of Amazon Jeff Bezos was worth $113 on March 18, according to Forbes. (Photo by SAJJAD HUSSAIN/AFP via Getty Images)
Jeff Bezos, 56, is the richest man in the world, despite transferring a quarter of his Amazon stake to his ex-wife MacKenzie last summer, according to Forbes. He was worth $113 billion on March 18.
Bezos founded ecommerce giant Amazon in 1994 and is still the CEO of the company.
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