Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has once again claimed the title of the world's richest person, with a staggering net worth of $200 billion, as reported by the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. This marks a significant return to the top spot for Bezos, who last held this position in 2021.
The resurgence in Bezos' wealth can be attributed to a sustained surge in Big Tech stocks, fueled by the ongoing artificial intelligence boom. Amazon's shares have seen a notable uptick, rising by 17% since the beginning of the year and nearly 90% compared to a year ago, closing at $177.58 per share on Monday.
With Bezos owning approximately 9% of Amazon, his net worth is intricately tied to the performance of the e-commerce giant's stock. Additionally, Bezos' ownership of the space exploration company Blue Origin is factored into his overall wealth calculation by Bloomberg.
Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, had held the title of the world's richest person for nine months before being surpassed by Bezos. At one point, Musk's wealth exceeded Bezos' by $142 billion, according to Bloomberg.
Bezos initially surpassed Bill Gates as the world's wealthiest individual in 2017, only to be dethroned by Musk in 2021 following a surge in Tesla's stock price. Currently, Musk and Bernard Arnault, the chairman of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton, occupy the second and third positions on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, with net worths of $198 billion and $197 billion, respectively.
Despite Bezos' resurgence, Tesla has faced challenges, with its stock declining by 24% since the start of the year and dropping by 3% compared to a year ago. The electric vehicle manufacturer experienced a 7% decrease in its shares on Monday after reporting a decline in sales in China for February.
