• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Financebloomberg billionaires list

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos Is Now Richer Than Warren Buffett

By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 22, 2016, 10:16 AM ET
Amazon Unveils Its First Smartphone
Photograph by David Ryder — Getty Images

Jeff Bezos, the CEO of Amazon, is now the third-richest person in the world.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Bezos surpassed Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett to snag the number three spot behind Spain’s Amancio Ortega, the founder of the clothing retailer Zara, and Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft, and the world’s richest person. Both are worth $73 billion and $89 billion, respectively.

Bezos’s net worth was $65.05 billion on Thursday, which topped Buffett by $32 million on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. And despite Bezos’s fall to $43 billion in February due to turbulent global markets, his wealth has increased by $5.4 billion this year.

Bloomberg reports that most of Bezos’s wealth comes from Amazon, which is the fifth most valuable company in the U.S., falling behind Apple (AAPL), Alphabet, Microsoft (MSFT), and ExxonMobil (XOM).

Bezos’s move past Buffett is partly a result of the Berkshire Hathaway chairman’s $2.2 billion donation in stock to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Even still, Buffett’s net worth still rose by $2.7 billion in 2016.

And despite his current status on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, Amazon (AMZN) founder could see his rank climb even higher.

In May, Carlos Kirjner of Sanford Bernstein set his Amazon target price at $1,000—a 30% increase from $770—even while Wall Street estimated an average 12-month target price of $809.28. Kirjner’s figure is one which Amazon has yet to reach. But with stock at that price, Bezos’s fortune would be about $86 billion, sliding past Ortega and claiming the number two spot just under Bill Gates.

About the Author
By Madeline Farber
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

AIIntuit
How Intuit’s Chief AI Officer supercharged the company’s emerging technologies teams—and why not every company should follow his lead
By John KellDecember 5, 2025
55 minutes ago
A stack of gold bars.
Personal Financegold prices
Current price of gold as of December 5, 2025
By Danny BakstDecember 5, 2025
2 hours ago
Trump
Personal FinanceHealth Insurance
Trump wants more health savings accounts. A catch: they can’t pay insurance premiums
By Amanda Seitz and KFF Health NewsDecember 5, 2025
2 hours ago
Paul Atkins
CommentaryCorporate Governance
Turning public companies into private companies: the SEC’s retreat from transparency and accountability
By Andrew BeharDecember 5, 2025
2 hours ago
Current price of silver as of Friday, December 5, 2025
Personal Financesilver
Current price of silver as of Friday, December 5, 2025
By Joseph HostetlerDecember 5, 2025
2 hours ago
NewslettersCFO Daily
Gen Z fears AI will upend careers. Can leaders change the narrative?
By Sheryl EstradaDecember 5, 2025
3 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
Two months into the new fiscal year and the U.S. government is already spending more than $10 billion a week servicing national debt
By Eleanor PringleDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
‘Godfather of AI’ says Bill Gates and Elon Musk are right about the future of work—but he predicts mass unemployment is on its way
By Preston ForeDecember 4, 2025
24 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nearly 4 million new manufacturing jobs are coming to America as boomers retire—but it's the one trade job Gen Z doesn't want
By Emma BurleighDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang admits he works 7 days a week, including holidays, in a constant 'state of anxiety' out of fear of going bankrupt
By Jessica CoacciDecember 4, 2025
23 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
Tariffs and the $38 trillion national debt: Kevin Hassett sees ’big reductions’ in deficit while Scott Bessent sees a ‘shrinking ice cube’
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 4, 2025
22 hours ago
placeholder alt text
Health
Bill Gates decries ‘significant reversal in child deaths’ as nearly 5 million kids will die before they turn 5 this year
By Nick LichtenbergDecember 4, 2025
1 day ago
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.