Who Will Be the World’s First Trillionaire?
The race to $1 trillion in personal wealth is heating up. With Tesla’s board recently floating a historic $1 trillion compensation plan for Elon Musk, the once-fanciful idea of individual trillionaires is beginning to look more real.
A new study tracks which billionaires are most likely to hit the milestone first – and the results are surprising.
Changpeng Zhao Leads the Pack
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, tops the list. Despite his current net worth of $63 billion – far below Musk or Zuckerberg – Zhao’s fortune has been expanding at a staggering 886 percent annual rate.
At this pace, he could cross the trillion-dollar line in just 14 months, potentially becoming the world’s first trillionaire by 2027.
Alice Walton Could Be the First Female Trillionaire
In second place is Alice Walton, the daughter of Walmart’s founder. With a fortune of $101 billion and an average growth rate of 233 percent, Walton could hit the trillion-dollar milestone within less than two years.
If projections hold, she would make history not just as a trillionaire, but as the world’s first female trillionaire.
Years to $1 Trillion
(Click to enlarge; source: CoftK)
NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang Rides the AI Wave
Jensen Huang, the founder of NVIDIA, holds the third spot. His net worth of $98.7 billion has grown at an average 93 percent annually, driven by NVIDIA’s dominance in the AI chip market.
After a 265 percent surge in 2024 alone, Huang is on track to reach $1 trillion by 2029.
Musk and Zuckerberg Neck and Neck
Elon Musk, already the wealthiest individual at $342 billion, comes next. His fortune has grown at a 28 percent average pace, though with major swings – an 18 percent dip in 2023 followed by a 75 percent rebound in 2025. At this rate, Musk could reach $1 trillion in 2030.
Mark Zuckerberg, currently at $216 billion, isn’t far behind. Meta’s founder has seen similar volatility, losing 31 percent in 2022 before a 175 percent recovery in 2024. His 40 percent average growth rate puts him on track for trillionaire status around 2030, just months after Musk.
Traders, Tech Giants and Heirs Join the Race
Jeff Yass, founder of trading powerhouse Susquehanna, ranks sixth. Though his fortune sits at $59 billion, it has been compounding at 62 percent annually, suggesting he could reach the milestone by 2031.
Larry Ellison of Oracle follows in seventh place with a $192 billion fortune growing at 21 percent a year, which could put him in trillionaire territory by 2034.
In eighth position is Michael Dell with $97.7 billion, advancing at 26 percent annually and projected to cross $1 trillion by 2036.
The Long Road for the Waltons and Larry Page
Rob Walton & family hold ninth place, with a $110 billion fortune growing at 19 percent annually. Despite recent volatility – a drop in 2023 followed by strong rebounds – their trajectory points to 2038 for trillionaire status.
Larry Page rounds out the top 10. With $144 billion and a steadier 16 percent annual growth, the Google co-founder could cross the trillion-dollar mark by 2039.
Why Billionaires Keep Getting Richer
«Billionaires run the biggest companies that dominate their respective markets,» the study’s spokesperson explained.
«These mega-companies have become too big to fail. They can either buy out smaller rivals or outspend them until they give up. What also really makes them special is how much money they pour into new technology. The billions they invest today in AI and automation will likely create even bigger returns tomorrow,» he added.
Sooner Than We Think
With tech breakthroughs, financial dominance, and global reach, the road to $1 trillion no longer looks like science fiction – and it may arrive sooner than most people think.
