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Who are the richest Americans? Forbes drops 2026 list
USA Today • • general
Key Points:
- Forbes' 2026 list of America's 400 wealthiest people reveals a growing wealth gap among the ultra-rich, with 590 billionaires excluded for being "too poor" to make the cut.
- The combined net worth of those on the list totals $8 trillion, with the top 20 individuals accounting for 50% of that wealth—an increase of $970 billion from 2025.
- The minimum net worth required to enter the list has surged to an unprecedented $4.4 billion, yet 34 newcomers still made the list.
- Elon Musk retains the No. 1 spot for the fifth consecutive year, breaking the $900 billion mark and leading Forbes' global real-time billionaires list; Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ranks second, trailing by over $500 billion.
- The full list of the top 50 richest Americans can be viewed on Forbes' website.
