Despite the pandemic, it was a record-setting year for the world’s wealthiest, with a $5 trillion surge in wealth and an unprecedented number of new billionaires, reported Forbes in its 2021 list of the World’s Billionaires. The publisher’s list includes 2,755 billionaires — 660 more than a year ago. Altogether they are worth $13.1 trillion, up from $8 trillion on the 2020 list.
A record-high 493 newcomers joined the list — roughly one new billionaire every 17 hours, including 210 from China and Hong Kong and 98 from the United States.
The richest newcomer, at $38.2 billion, is Miriam Adelson of Nevada, who inherited her husband Sheldon Adelson’s casino empire following his death in January. Other notable new entrants include movie and TV producer Tyler Perry, Bumble dating app cofounder Whitney Wol
