The number of billionaires in the world has reached an unprecedented level. There are now roughly 3,028, and about 813 of them call the United States home. The journey to billionaire status is fascinating to follow, and oftentimes it begins with a pivotal moment. How one invests their first significant sum of money can set the trajectory for immense wealth, or an idea can grow into a global empire.
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Here are some of the richest billionaires in the world and the lessons to learn from their risk-taking and strategic visions by taking note of how they spent their first $1 million.
Elon Musk
- Net worth: $398 billion
- The money lesson: Reinvest in your vision. Go all in on ideas you believe will change the world.
Elon Musk has dominated headlines in 2025 for leading and then unceremoniously stepping back from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its plan to reduce government spending, waste and fraud. Still, before Musk took on that controversial task, he was already running multiple companies, like X, Tesla and SpaceX. He became the world’s richest man in part through his innovative ideas.
Musk started his first business, Zip2, with his brother, which was sold to Compaq for $307 million in 1999. He earned $22 million in profits, and, instead of retiring early or buying expensive items, he put the money toward founding or investing in other companies, such as PayPal, Tesla and SpaceX.
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Larry Ellison
- Net worth: $289 billion
- The money lesson: Think outside the box, and don’t do what everyone else in business is doing.
Without a college degree, Larry Ellison created his mega empire as a co-founder of the Oracle Corporation — a tech company that specializes in software and cloud-engineering systems, of which he owns 40% of the shares. He’s known as a tech pioneer who negotiates tough, doesn’t play it safe and challenges the status quo.
He helped get the company off the ground back in the ’70s and used his early profits to grow Oracle and invest in real estate. Ellison owns multiple impressive properties around the world and spent his first few million on extravagant hobbies, like yacht racing, while growing his business.
Mark Zuckerberg
- Net worth: $259 billion
- The money lesson: Grow what’s working. If you’re sitting on something with momentum, feed it, don’t flee it.
Mark Zuckerberg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook (now Meta) — which also owns WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger — became a self-made billionaire at just 23. He made his fortune off Meta stocks and investments in AI. While it’s likely he reinvested his first million back into Facebook, he reportedly spent some of his wealth on cars and real estate.
Jeff Bezos
- Net worth: $229 billion
- The money lesson: Diversify with purpose, and don’t just stash his wealth — plant seeds for future empires.
It’s well known that Jeff Bezos launched Amazon out of his garage in 1994 and built it into today’s online retail giant, but before he hit it big with his vision, Bezos did something you may not realize: He invested $250,000 in Google in 1998 and made $3.3 million.
Instead of blowing his money on big-ticket purchases, he invested in expanding Amazon and quietly helped fund Google before the company went public. He has since become one of the world’s most-watched investors and has a strategy he swears by — a diverse portfolio, long-term investing and putting his money in what he believes in.
Larry Page
- Net worth: $156 billion
- The money lesson: When you’re ahead of the curve, keep pushing. Innovation isn’t just profitable, it’s powerful.
Larry Page is one of the masterminds behind Google. When early investments came in from people like Bezos, Page put the money toward the company’s infrastructure, office space and talent acquisition, which helped set the stage for Google’s growth.
Sergey Brin
- Net worth: $149 billion
- The money lesson: Partner with people who think like you — and invest in bold ideas together.
The other genius working behind the scenes to create Google was Sergey Brin, who met Page in grad school at Stanford University. The pair worked together to launch what’s now the world’s biggest search engine and also invested their early earnings to strategically catapult Google to rapid success.
Steve Ballmer
- Net worth: $146 billion
- The money lesson: Loyalty pays. Building equity in the right place over time can outperform quick wins.
Steve Ballmer got his start at Microsoft as Bill Gates’ assistant and became the 24th employee of the company in 1980. His starting salary was $40,000 and 9% of the company.
Ballmer worked his way up the corporate ladder and served as president and CEO. He made most of his billions in Microsoft stock but left the lucrative gig in 2014. That same year, he bought the Los Angeles Clippers after he retired.
Despite such a bold buy, Ballmer lives a low-key life. He seemingly doesn’t have a designer wardrobe or a superyacht, still lives in the four-bedroom house he raised his family in and complains about the price of a hotel minibar.
Warren Buffett
- Net worth: $142 billion
- The money lesson: Patience, discipline and long-term investing win.
Warren Buffett might be one of the wealthiest people on the planet, but he isn’t flashy. He’s known for his frugal lifestyle and the savvy investing skills that made him one of the top 10 richest people in the world.
Buffett was born during the Great Depression, and at just 11 years old, he began investing in stocks. In his 30s, he became a millionaire when he bought into the troubled textile company Berkshire Hathaway, which he turned into a financial powerhouse where he’s been serving as CEO ever since.
Buffett made his money from smart investments, and in 1961, he spent $1 million investing in Dempster, a windmill company. Two years later, he sold it for nearly three times more.
Bernard Arnault and Family
- Net worth: $141 billion
- The money lesson: Strategic acquisitions matter
No name is as synonymous with luxury goods as Bernard Arnault. The French businessman is the chairman and CEO of LVMH and oversees 75 cosmetic and fashion brands, including Louis Vuitton. Arnault amassed his fortune when he masterminded the unforeseen merger of Louis Vuitton and Moët Hennessy.
Arnault is now the world’s ninth richest person in the world, along with his family, and took early financial opportunities to move to dominate the fashion world. He inherited his father’s construction company, sold it, and used the money to pivot into high-end fashion. In 1985, he bankrolled the acquisition of Christian Dior and used it as a launchpad to create LVMH.
Editor’s note: Net worth figures are estimates and fluctuate regularly.
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How the World’s 9 Richest Billionaires Spent Their First $1 Million
