Bill Gates still world's second richest person
Microsoft's co-founder was once again topped by Mexican businessman Carlos Slim Helu, according to Forbes' list of the world's billionaires.
Bill Gates is now worth $67 billion. But he's still only No. 2 among the world's wealthiest people.
Released today, Forbes' ranking of the richest people on the planet found Gates' fortune up $6 billion this year. The increase came not so much from Microsoft stock, which has shown little sign of life recently, but from other financial holdings and private investments.
More importantly, Forbes dubbed Gates the world's most generous person. Microsoft's chairman continues to devote a large amount of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with the goal of wiping out polio, malaria, and other dangerous diseases. The foundation has already spent more than $28 billion on its various causes.
Even further, Gates has been convincing fellow billionaires across the world to sign the Giving Pledge over the past few years through which they promise to donate the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. Gates has also teamed up with Helu to build a $25 million agricultural research center in Mexico, which leads us to the world's richest man.
With a net worth of $73 billion, Helu topped the richest list for the fourth consecutive year. His wealth climbed $4 billion this year, thanks to rising investments in his own companies. His mobile telecommunications business America Movil is his healthiest asset at $36.3 billion, according to Forbes.
Oracle CEO Larry Ellison took fifth place worldwide with a worth of $43 billion. He is the third wealthiest man in the U.S. behind Gates and Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Ellison's fortune increased this year thanks in no small part to a 20 percent climb in his own shares of Oracle. Like Gates and Helu, Ellison has also been donating some of his vast wealth to philanthropic causes.
Other tech players on Forbes' list included Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos with $25.2 billion and Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin with $23 billion and $22.8 billion, respectively.
Dell CEO Michael Dell checked in with $15.3 billion, while Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer followed with $15.2 billion.
Most of the tech billionaires saw their wealth increase this year, but not all.
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg watched his net worth fall to $13.3 billion from $17.5 billion last year, lowering his ranking to 66 from 35. Tied into the price of Facebook stock, Zuckerberg's fortune has been on a roller coaster ride. After sinking to less than $20 a share last August, the stock has been rising and falling over the past several months.
A total of 1,426 people made the Forbes billionaires list for a net worth of $5.4 trillion, up from $4.6 trillion last year.