Forbes' 2023 billionaires. Lots of new faces, record numbers, and more

Forbes magazine recently unveiled a new list of billionaires, featuring an impressive total of 2,781 positions, an increase of 141 from last year.

This year, Forbes highlights that the list is longer than ever, even surpassing the record set in 2021. Moreover, the world's billionaires are wealthier than ever, with their assets totaling a staggering $14.2 trillion—$2 trillion more than just a year earlier. The 20 richest people worldwide have collectively added $700 billion to their fortunes.

The United States leads the way with 813 billionaires on the list. China follows with 473 positions (including Hong Kong) and India with 200 billionaires, marking the first time such a large number of Indian nationals have been featured on Forbes' list.

At the pinnacle of the list, there are no new faces. Bernard Arnault, the CEO of the French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH (LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton), claims the top spot with a fortune of $233 billion. Elon Musk comes in second with $195 billion, a slight decline due to less favorable outcomes for Tesla, moving him from his previous leading position. The tech mogul also owns about 74 percent of X (formerly known as Twitter), whose value has diminished significantly since his acquisition. Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, secures the third spot, followed by Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg in fourth.

Other celebrities making their mark on Forbes' list include Rupert Murdoch, the founder of Fox television; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones; rapper Jay-Z; reality star Kim Kardashian; and—making her first appearance—pop sensation Taylor Swift. Swift is particularly noted as the only music star "whose wealth comes exclusively from her performances and concert tours," as highlighted by Forbes.

The title of the wealthiest woman goes to Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the L'Oreal heiress, with a net worth of $99.5 billion, positioning her 15th on the list.