Forbes has released its annual list of the richest people in the world as the number of billionaires reaches record highs.

Some 2,781 people are worth a collective $14.2 trillion, with the top 20 adding $700 billion to their wealth since this time last year, according to the news site.

1. Bernard Arnault and family: The 75-year-old is the richest person on Earth, with a net worth of $233 billion. From France, he oversees an empire of 75 fashion and cosmetic brands, including Louis Vuitton and Sephora, under the umbrella of LVMH.

2. Elon Musk: Dropping from the top spot, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO, 52, is worth $195 billion.

3. Jeff Bezos: Close behind is the 60-year-old founder of Amazon, worth $194 billion.

4. Mark Zuckerberg: Another familiar name in the top 10 is the founder of Facebook, now Meta, with a net worth of $177 billion at the age of 39.

5. Larry Ellison: The founder of software giant Oracle, used by businesses to store and retrieve information, is worth £141 billion.

6. Warren Buffett: The investor and CEO of multinational conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway, 93, is worth $133 billion.

7. Bill Gates: Co-founder of Microsoft, Gates, 68, has a net worth of $128 billion.

8. Steve Ballmer: A former CEO at Microsoft under Gates, Ballmer is worth $121 billion.

9. Mukesh Ambani: His company, Reliance Industries, is the largest private sector corporation in India, with interests in retail, financial services, oil and gas, petrochemicals, telecommunications, and financial services, making him worth $116 billion.

10. Larry Page: Worth $114 billion, the 51-year-old remains a controlling shareholder at Google’s parent company, Alphabet, where he stepped down as CEO in 2019.

One notable entry this year is Taylor Swift, with a fortune of $1.1 billion.

Campaign group Tax Justice UK said those on the super-rich list should be taxed more by world governments to tackle inequality and climate change.

“We’re living through incredibly unequal times, lurching from one crisis to the next,” said executive director Robert Palmer.

“World leaders need to ensure the super-rich are paying their fair share, for example, through introducing wealth taxes.”

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