5 American tech billionaires lead the world in wealth gain

Together, they have amassed an additional US$290 billion between Jan. 1 and Oct. 12, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.

Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, saw his net worth rise by $80.6 billion, placing him third globally with a total wealth of $209 billion – a personal record.

Meta shares have surged 70% year-to-date as Zuckerberg’s bet on the metaverse paid off. They are now hovering around a historic record.

Last month the company revealed the new smart glasses Orion, which includes more advanced technology than its previous products.

Zuckerberg’s reveal of Orion triggered a new level of enthusiasm in the metaverse, analysts say.

Orion provides a tangible example of the company’s strategy and a logical and compelling next step following smart glasses, industry insiders told CNBC.

Zuckerberg said in 2023 that investing in the metaverse is a long-term bet.

"At a deep level, I understand the discomfort that a lot of investors have with it because it’s just outside of the model of I think even most long-term investors."

Jensen Huang, president and CEO of chipmaker Nvidia, came second in wealth gain with $73.8 billion added to his net worth this year.

He is now the 11th richest man globally with a net worth of $118 billion, up 168% since the beginning of the year.

Nvidia's shares have soared 180% as the company capitalizes on demand for its AI products, driving five consecutive quarters of triple-digit sales and profit growth

Huang said recently that the demand for Nvidia's next-generation Blackwell AI architecture is "insane."

"Everybody wants to have the most, and everybody wants to be first."

Larry Ellison, executive chairman of software company Oracle, has seen his net worth increased by $62.5 billion this year.

He is now the 5th richest person in the world with a total wealth of $185 billion.

Oracle's success has been bolstered by the rising demand for AI services, and the company recently announced plans to expand its cloud infrastructure to compete with tech giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google, Bloomberg reported.

The majority of Ellison’s wealth is comprised of Oracle shares, along with his roughly $10 billion stake in electric automaker Tesla.

Michael Dell, CEO of computer maker Dell Technologies, has seen his wealth growing by $38.2 billion this year, while Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ net worth added $34.6 billion in the same period.