Elon Musk remains the world’s richest person in September 2026, holding on to the top position as the global billionaire rankings continue to reflect major movements in technology, finance and business.
According to Forbes’ September 2026 ranking, Musk continues to lead the world’s wealthiest individuals. His position comes after an extraordinary rise in his fortune over the past year, driven largely by the performance and valuation of his major companies.
Musk became the world’s first trillionaire on June 12 after SpaceX closed its first trading day with a market valuation of nearly $2.2 trillion.
The billionaire’s wealth had fallen below $700 billion in July for the first time since December 2025 after shares of SpaceX and Tesla declined. His fortune recovered in August as both companies regained momentum.
Musk owns about 38 percent of SpaceX, whose valuation has climbed to nearly $2 trillion, up from around $1.5 trillion the previous month.
His rise to the top of the global wealth rankings has been remarkable. Musk first became the world’s richest individual in September 2021 before strengthening his lead again in May 2024.
His fortune subsequently crossed several major milestones, surpassing $500 billion in October 2025, $600 billion and $700 billion two months later, and $800 billion in February 2026.
Larry Ellison climbs to seventh
One of the biggest changes in the September ranking came from Oracle co founder Larry Ellison.
Ellison moved into seventh place after Oracle shares gained 7 percent, pushing his net worth back above $200 billion.
The move saw Ellison overtake Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who slipped to eighth place.
Ellison’s growing fortune also reflects the continuing influence of technology and artificial intelligence on global wealth creation. Oracle has benefited from strong investor interest in cloud infrastructure and the expanding demand for computing capacity.
Ellison and his son David have also been linked to a major media industry transaction following their Paramount Skydance deal in August.
The Ellison family launched a reported $111 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, a transaction that could bring major media assets under their control.
The proposed combination would bring together major networks including CBS and CNN, streaming platforms such as Paramount+ and HBO Max, as well as major film studios.
However, the proposed takeover remains frozen until June 2027 because of an ongoing antitrust lawsuit.
The September 2026 billionaire rankings
Sergey Brin occupies fourth place in the September ranking, followed by Michael Dell in fifth and Mark Zuckerberg in sixth.
Ellison’s rise pushed Huang down to eighth place, while former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer ranked ninth.
Spanish fashion billionaire Amancio Ortega completes the top 10.
The ranking highlights how concentrated global wealth remains among entrepreneurs and investors whose fortunes are closely connected to technology, artificial intelligence, software, luxury retail and financial markets.
For African entrepreneurs and investors, the movements offer another reminder of how quickly business valuations can change when markets respond to innovation, corporate performance and investor expectations.
The September rankings also underscore the growing role of technology infrastructure in creating enormous private fortunes. Companies operating across artificial intelligence, cloud computing, electric vehicles, space technology and digital platforms continue to shape the global wealth landscape.
As markets remain volatile, the composition of the world’s richest people is likely to keep changing. For now, however, Elon Musk retains the No. 1 position, while Larry Ellison’s latest rise provides one of the most notable changes in the September 2026 ranking.
