World’s richest person, Jeff Bezos’ net worth has soared to a record $200 billion after his company, Amazon stock edged up by 2% on Wednesday afternoon.
Bezos’ net worth is now up by $4.9 billion, making the 56-year-old the world’s first-ever person to amass a $200 billion fortune.
According to Forbes, the Amazon founder and CEO is worth $204.6 billion—nearly $90 billion more than the world’s second-richest person, Bill Gates, who’s currently worth $116.1 billion.
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Even adjusting for inflation, Forbes believes Bezos’ fortune is the largest ever amassed. The person to come closest: Bill Gates, who was the world’s first-ever centibillionaire – over $100 billion.
Fueled by the change in consumer habits as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Amazon stock is up nearly 80% since the beginning of the year, and Bezos’ net worth, which was roughly $115 billion on January 1, also skyrocketed.
Bezos’ roughly 11% stake in Amazon makes up more than 90% of his fortune. He also owns the Washington Post, aerospace company Blue Origin and other private investments.
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Bezos would be even richer had he not gone through the most expensive divorce settlement in history last year.
When he split from ex-wife, MacKenzie Scott, last July, he agreed to give her 25% of his Amazon stake, a chunk of stock now worth $63 billion.
Even after giving away $1.7 billion in charitable gifts earlier this year, Scott is currently the world’s 14th-richest person and second-richest woman, behind L’Oréal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers.
