World’s Richest Families Walton Family Fortune $432B

The Walton family is an American family whose collective fortune derived from Walmart makes them the richest family in the United States, and, as of December 2024, the richest family in the world.

The three most prominent living members (Jim, Rob, and Alice Walton) have consistently been in the top twenty of the Forbes 400 list since 2001, as were John and Helen prior to their deaths.

Christy Walton took her husband John’s place in the ranking after his death.

The majority of the family’s wealth derives from the heritage of Bud and Sam Walton, who were the co-founders of Walmart.

Walmart is the world’s largest retailer, one of the world’s largest business enterprises in terms of annual revenue, and, with just over 2.2 million employees, the world’s largest private employer.

The Walton family’s wealth is majority held through the investment holding company Walton Enterprises.

As of December 2014, the Waltons collectively owned 50.8 percent of Walmart.

In 2018, the family sold some of their company’s stock and now owns just under 50%.

In December 2024, the Walton family’s net worth was estimated to be US$432.4 billion.

Jim Walton, $117.7 billion
S. Robson Walton, $119 billion
Alice Walton, $109.8 billion
Lukas Walton, $40.9 billion
Christy Walton, $19.9 billion
Nancy Walton Laurie, $16.1 billion
Ann Walton Kroenke, $13.4 billion

World’s Richest Families Al Nahyan Family Fortune $323.9B

The Al Nahyan family, the ruling family of Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates.

Source of Wealth:
The family’s wealth stems from the oil-rich region they govern, with significant investments in various sectors, including energy, real estate, and international businesses.

Key Assets:
The family owns a presidential palace, private jets, a football club (Manchester City), and significant oil reserves.

The Al Nahyan family, also referred to as the “House of Nahyan,” is the second richest family in the world. The leader of the family, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, is the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The economy of the UAE (and the finances of its rulers and royal families) has been transformed by the vast oil reserves in the country.

Abu Dhabi is one of the richest emirates, and especially oil-rich.

Sheikh Mohamed became the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the President of the UAE in 2022. Before that, his brother, Sheikh Khalifa, was the country’s leader from 2004 to 2022.

And before that, his father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, was the President of the country, from its founding in 1971 until 2004, when his son succeeded him.

The family’s fortune has been amassed via ownership of billions of barrels of oil reserves, in addition to extremely profitable wealth funds.

Forbes. “Profile: Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.”
Investments:

They have invested in high-profile companies like Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Leadership:

The current head of the Al Nahyan family is Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who serves as the ruler of Abu Dhabi and the UAE president.

World’s Richest Families Al Thani Family Fortune $172.9B

Company: Royal Family of Qatar
The Al Thani family has ruled Qatar since the middle of the 19th century.

The family’s reign has lasted through the founding of modern Qatar, wars, and two coup attempts.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani turned Qatar into a major world power during his 18 years in power. (He gained complete power of Qatar by deposing his father in a bloodless coup in 1995.

This involved freezing all of his father’s assets to prevent any counter-coups.)

The country’s natural gas production skyrocketed as a result of mining offshore gas fields and the discovery of untapped oil fields. In 2010, the average income in the country was $86,440 a year per person.

In addition to his income made from oil and gas, Sheikh Hamad invested billions of dollars in businesses, including Volkswagen, Total, Sainsbury’s, and Barclays bank.

In 2018, Sheikh Hamad abdicated the throne to his fourth son, Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al Thani.

The Independent. “Emir of Qatar profile.”

World’s Richest Families Hermes Family Fortune $170.6B

Company: Hermès
French fashion house and luxury purveyor Hermès has dazzled the world with its signature scarves, neckties, and perfumes, as well as its iconic Kelly and Birkin handbags.

Back in the 19th century, Thierry Hermès fashioned riding apparel for the aristocracy.

Today, the company dresses basketball royalty such as LeBron James.

Fusing old-school and new technology, Hermès Apple Watches sell for $1,249 and up.

Axel Dumas currently serves as the company’s executive director, and Pierre-Alexis Dumas is the artistic executive vice president.

World’s Richest Families Koch Family Fortune $148.5B

Company: Koch Industries

Charles Koch owes his staggering fortune to an oil business founded by his father, but today, he is perhaps better known to the general public for his politics, digging into his deep pockets to place his stamp on it—financing candidates and libertarian think tanks, funding university professorships, and lobbying for policy positions, all aimed at furthering a conservative agenda.

Charles partnered with his brother David until the latter died in 2019. Charles is worth an estimated $58.5 billion, ranked No. 25 on the Forbes’ billionaires list.

David’s widow, Julia Koch, and family are in 23rd place with a net worth of $64.3 billion as of Feb. 15, 2025.

World’s Richest Families Al Saud Family Fortune $140B

Al Saud Family

Company: Saudi Royal Family
The House of Saud, the Saudi royal family, has a monarchical history extending back nearly a century.

The family’s massive fortune, estimated at $140 billion, has grown thanks to decades of payments from the Royal Diwan, the king’s executive office.

Ties with Saudi Aramco, one of the world’s most profitable companies and a behemoth of the oil industry, ensure that the Saudi royal family continues to accumulate wealth.

It’s difficult to accurately assess the wealth of the House of Saud, in part because the family contains as many as 15,000 extended members, many of whom have founded businesses, received government contracts, and more.

World’s Richest Families Mars Family Fortune $133.8B

Company: Mars Incorporated
Mars is the Walmart of candy—a multigenerational family business that is ubiquitous and wildly popular.

Today, the company is better known for making M&Ms than for its eponymous Mars bar.

In 2017, the world’s largest candy company diversified with the purchase of VCA, a pet care company, for $9.1 billion.

Siblings Jacqueline and John Mars, whose grandfather, Frank Mars, founded the company, each have a net worth of $38.5 billion and are tied for No. 35 on Forbes’ list of billionaires as of Feb. 15, 2025.

The company is now being run by some of their children, the fourth generation of Mars family members.

World’s Richest Families Ambani Family Fortune $99.6B

Ambani Family

Company: Reliance Industries
Indian industrial conglomerate Reliance Industries, the only Asian company on our list, might be the least well-known to average readers.

Nevertheless, CEO Mukesh Ambani, whose late father founded the company in 1957, is ninth on Forbes’ billionaires list with a net worth of $90.3 billion as of Feb. 15, 2025, overseeing the company’s refining, petrochemicals, oil, gas, and textiles; his brother, Anil, manages telecommunications, asset management, entertainment, and power generation.

World’s Richest Families Wertheimer Family Fortune $88B

Company: Chanel
French high-fashion house Chanel is legendary for the timeless “little black dress,” the No.5 perfume, and the late high-profile designer Karl Lagerfeld, who died on Feb. 19, 2019.

Brothers Alain and Gerhard Wertheimer now co-own the company that their grandfather staked with founder Gabrielle Coco Chanel.

The brothers are both ranked 40th on the Forbes billionaires list, with a net worth of $36.8 billion each as of Feb. 15, 2025.

World’s Richest Families Thomson Family Fortune $87.1B

Company: Thomson Reuters
The Thomson family garners its wealth from Thomson Reuters, the media company.

The family got its start in the 1930s when Roy Thomson started a radio station in Ontario, Canada, and later moved into newspapers.

Roy Thomson’s grandson, David Thomson, is the chairman of Thomson Reuters.

He ranks 22nd on Forbes’ billionaires list with a net worth of $67.8 billion on Feb. 15, 2025.