<P> The World's Billionaires is an annual ranking by documented net worth of the world's wealthiest billionaires compiled and published in March annually by the American business magazine Forbes . The list was first published in March 1987 . The total net worth of each individual on the list is estimated and is cited in United States dollars, based on their documented assets and accounting for debt . Royalty and dictators whose wealth comes from their positions are excluded from these lists . This ranking is an index of the wealthiest documented individuals, excluding and ranking against those with wealth that is not able to be completely ascertained . </P> <P> In 2018, there was a record of 2,208 people on the list, that included 259 newcomers mostly from China and the U.S.; there were 63 people under 40 and it had a record number of 256 women . The average net worth of the list came in at US $4.1 billion, up US $350 million from 2017 . Added together, the total net worth for 2018's billionaires was US $9.1 trillion, up from US $7.67 trillion in 2017 . As of 2018, Microsoft founder Bill Gates has topped the list 18 of the past 24 years, while Amazon founder Jeff Bezos is ranked at the top for the first time and he became the first centibillionaire included in the ranking . </P> <P> In 2017, 500 of the richest people in the world became richer by $1 trillion, according to a report by Bloomberg News . According to a 2017 Oxfam report, the top eight billionaires own as much combined wealth as "the poorest half of the human race". </P> <P> Each year, Forbes employs a team of more than 50 reporters from a variety of countries to track the activity of the world's wealthiest individuals . Preliminary surveys are sent to those who may qualify for the list . According to Forbes, they received three types of responses--some people try to inflate their wealth, others cooperate but leave out details, and some refuse to answer any questions . Business deals are then scrutinized and estimates of valuable assets--land, homes, vehicles, artwork, etc.--are made . Interviews are conducted to vet the figures and improve the estimate of an individual's holdings . Finally, positions in a publicly traded stock are priced to market on a date roughly a month before publication . Privately held companies are priced by the prevailing price - to - sales or price - to - earnings ratios . Known debt is subtracted from assets to get a final estimate of an individual's estimated worth in United States dollars . Since stock prices fluctuate rapidly, an individual's true wealth and ranking at the time of publication may vary from their situation when the list was compiled . </P>

Top 10 richest person in the world by forbes