Who are the 5 richest families in Asia?

1. The Ambanis, India

(From L) Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, his son Anant's fiancée Radhika Merchant, his son Anant, his wife Nita, his daughter Isha, Isha's husband Anand Piramal, his son Akash's wife Shloka, and his son Akash pose during Anant's engagement ceremony in Mumbai on Jan. 19, 2023. Photo by AFP

The Ambanis family fortune stemmed from conglomerate Reliance Industries, which has investments in numerous fields including petrochemicals, telecoms, retail and financial services.

Reliance was founded by his late father Dhirubhai Ambani, a yarn trader, in 1966 as a small textile manufacturer. After his father's death in 2002, Mukesh Ambani and his younger sibling Anil divvied up the family empire.

It is now the largest private sector corporation in India with a market capitalization of $233.83 billion as of March 2024, according to the company’s website.

The Ambani family has a wealth of $102.7 billion as of January 19, according to Bloomberg.

Mukesh Ambani has two sons, Akash and Anant Ambani, and a daughter, Isha Ambani.

Anant Ambani recently hosted his extravagant pre-wedding party with fiancée Radhika Merchant, an event that the Daily Mail reported to have cost 120 million pounds ($151.9 million).

2. The Hartonos, Indonesia

Michael Hartono, co-owner of Djarum Group. Photo by Reuters

The Hartonos' wealth started with Oei Wie Gwan, who bought a kretek cigarette manufacturer in Indonesia and renamed it Djarum in 1950.

The Hartonos' fortune began with Oei Wie Gwan, who acquired an Indonesian kretek cigarette manufacturer and rebranded it as Djarum in 1950

He later passed away and left his firm to his two sons, Robert Budi Hartono and Michael Bambang Hartono, in 1963.

Utilizing Djarum’s fortune, the Hartono brothers acquired the investment firm Bank Central Asia, which now stands as the primary source of their wealth, as reported by the South China Morning Post.

They also expanded into the e-commerce sector with online mall Blibli.

The Hartono family has a collective wealth of $44.8 billion as of January 19, according to Bloomberg.

3. The Mistrys, India

Shapoor Mistry, chairman of Shapoorji Pallonji Group. Photo courtesy of the company

The family conglomerate, Shapoorji Pallonji Group, was founded by Pallonji Mistry’s grandfather as a construction enterprise in 1865 in India.

The firm has interests in multiple fields, including engineering and construction.

However, the family currently cannot access its largest asset, an 18.4% stake in a holding company of $150 billion conglomerate Tata Group, due to legal complications at the latter firm, according to Bloomberg.

Shapoor Mistry, Pallonji Mistry’s eldest son, is currently the chairman of the family business.

The Mistrys' wealth is estimated to be at $36.2 billion as of January 19.

4. Kwok family, Hong Kong

Raymond Kwok, chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties. Photo courtesy of the company

The Kwok’s fortune began with Kwok Tak-seng, who cofounded Sun Hung Kai Enterprises in 1963 and later listed it as property developer Sun Hung Kai Properties in 1972.

Several decades passed and the firm is now one of Hong Kong’s biggest developers.

Kwok Tak-seng’s three sons, Walter, Thomas and Raymond Kwok, inherited and co-managed the family business in 1990.

Due to family feuds and legal issues, Raymond Kwok is now the sole chairman of Sun Hung Kai Properties.

The Kwok has a collective wealth of $32.3 billion as of January 19, according to Bloomberg.

5. Chearavanont family, Thailand

Dhanin Chearavanont, senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group. Photo courtesy of the company

Chinese-born Chia Ek Chor migrated to Thailand in 1921 and established a store selling vegetable seeds with his brother.

Over a hundred years later, it became the Charoen Pokphand Group (CP), one of the world's largest producers of animal feed and livestock.

CP has stakes in Chinese insurer Ping An, Hong Kong conglomerate CITIC and telecom unit True Corp.

It also owns retail chain Tesco's operations in Thailand and Malaysia.

Chia’s son, Dhanin Chearavanont, is CP Group’s senior chairman.

The Chearavanont has $31.2 billion in wealth as of January 19, according to Bloomberg.