Global Business Desk — In a stunning shake-up of the global billionaire rankings, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison has surged past Amazon’s Jeff Bezos and Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg to claim the title of the second richest person in the world.
The 79-year-old tech magnate’s net worth soared by $26 billion in a single day, thanks to Oracle’s record-breaking stock performance. Following its quarterly earnings report, Oracle shares surged past the $200 mark for the first time, fueled by stronger-than-expected profits and revenue for the quarter ending May 2025.
Updated Billionaire Rankings (Forbes, June 2025):
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Elon Musk – $407.3 billion
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Larry Ellison – $243 billion
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Mark Zuckerberg – $239 billion
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Jeff Bezos – $227 billion
Ellison’s Meteoric Rise
Ellison’s wealth growth is not just the result of this single earnings report. The cloud infrastructure business at Oracle has seen exponential growth, partly driven by AI-driven demand and enterprise digital transformation.
This is the first time in eight years that Ellison has overtaken Bezos in the billionaire rankings. His current net worth of $243 billion reflects a broader tech rally that has benefited legacy firms like Oracle, which have successfully modernized their platforms.
Bezos’ Billionaire Journey: A Look Back
Bezos, the founder of Amazon, previously dominated the list. He first climbed to the No. 2 spot in 2017 after overtaking Warren Buffett, riding a $75.6 billion surge in his fortune as Amazon’s stock soared.
However, his position has been under increasing pressure in recent years:
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In October 2024, Mark Zuckerberg leapfrogged Bezos when Meta’s shares rocketed, pushing Zuck’s net worth to $206.2 billion, briefly relegating Bezos to the No. 3 spot.
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With Oracle’s rise this week, Bezos now stands at No. 4 in the world wealth rankings.
Elon Musk Still on Top
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), remains unchallenged as the world’s richest individual, with a staggering net worth of $407.3 billion.
His fortune recently saw a $191 million boost, reportedly following an unexpected public apology to former U.S. President Donald Trump after a bitter social media clash. The two reportedly had a brief call, signaling a potential truce after Musk had harshly criticized a Trump-backed bill, calling it “The Big Ugly Bill.”
What This Means for the Billionaire Landscape
The current reshuffle highlights how corporate performance, stock valuations, and even social media behavior can dramatically influence individual wealth, especially when that wealth is heavily tied to publicly traded assets.
It also showcases how long-standing tech giants like Oracle, traditionally viewed as conservative compared to newer firms, are seeing revivals through cloud and AI-driven demand.
