In January, SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk surpassed Jeff Bezos as the world's richest man, as confirmed by the ever-changing Bloomberg list of billionaires. As of now, Bezos' net worth of $191 billion currently tops Musk's own, which currently sits at $190 billion. That's certainly liable to fluctuate, but for now a 2.4% decline in Musk's Tesla stock was enough to solidify Bezos his spot at the top; it should be noted that Bill Gates, who currently holds it down in third place, boasts a net worth of $137 billion.
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Though Musk did enjoy a solid six-week run at the top, the drop in his Tesla Stock ultimately lowered his total net worth by $4.6 billion. Of course, Musk's dynamic nature and visionary spirit will likely lead to further increases, so it wouldn't necessarily be wise to count him out of the running quite yet. Still, Bezos' 11 percent stake in Amazon holds a truly gargantuan value of $174 billion, which represents over ninety-percent of his total wealth.
It's unclear as to whether or not his decision to step down from his role as Amazon CEO, which he recently announced at the beginning of February, will have a notable impact on his income. “As much as I still tap dance into the office, I’m excited about this transition,” Bezos said, speaking on his decision to step down in favor of 24-year Amazon vet Andrew Jassy. “I’ve never had more energy, and this isn’t about retiring. Keep inventing, and don’t despair when at first the idea looks crazy. Remember to wander. Let curiosity be your compass. It remains Day 1.”
Given that he intends on spending additional time on his space travel company Blue Origin, the Day 1 Fund, the Bezos Earth Fund, and The Washington Post, expect Bezos to see his fortunes even higher by the end of 2021. For more on the top billionaire race, which essentially feels like a neck-and-neck between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk at this point, keep your eyes peeled for further developments.
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