the rich get richer
13 Austin billionaires appear on Forbes list of world's richest people
Patrón Spirits Co. founder John Paul DeJoria has a net worth of $3 billion in 2026.
According to Forbes, there has “never been a better time to be a billionaire” than in 2026, and the publication's newest World’s Billionaires List has revealed the 13 Austin billionaires that have risen among the wealthiest worldwide.
Austin billionaire Elon Musk was declared the world's richest person for the second consecutive year, and Forbes said his “grip on the top spot is as strong as it’s ever been.”
“Musk became the first person to hit $500 billion in wealth, in October,” Forbes said. “Then $600 billion and $700 billion, within four days in December. Then $800 billion, in February.”
The Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI founder’s current net worth has skyrocketed to $839 billion — a shocking $497 billion more than his 2025 net worth.
Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell is Austin's second-richest resident, whose fortune has grown from $97.7 billion to $141 billion this year.
Here's how the rest of Austin's billionaires fared on this year's list:
- Venture capitalist Robert F. Smith: ranked No. 341 with an estimated net worth of $10 billion, down from $10.8 billion in 2025
- Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia: No. 440; $8.2 billion, down from $8.3 billion
- Tech entrepreneur Thai Lee: No. 509; $7.5 billion, up from $7 billion
- Software investor Joseph Liemandt: No. 623; $6.6 billion, up from $6.2 billion
- Tito's Vodka baron Bert Beveridge: No. 762; $5.5 billion, up from $4.8 billion
- Venture capitalist and early Facebook investor Jim Breyer: No. 1325; $3.2 billion, up from $1.8 billion
- Patrón Spirits founder John Paul DeJoria: No. 1406; $3 billion, unchanged since 2024
- GoodLeap co-founder Hayes Barnard: tied for No. 1440; $2.9 billion, down from $3.3 billion
- Venture capitalist and data mining entrepreneur Joe Lonsdale: tied for No. 1440; $2.9 billion, up from $2 billion
- Finance chief executive David Booth: No. 1560; $2.7 billion, up from $2.5 billion
- Software tech magnate James Truchard: No. 3017; $1.2 billion, up from $1 billion
Elsewhere in Central Texas, Temple-based billionaire Drayton McLane, Jr., who is the chairman of holding company McLane Group, ranked No. 908 this year with a net worth of $4.7 billion, up from $4 billion last year.
In Dallas-Fort Worth, Walmart heiress Alice Walton has maintained her elite status as the world’s richest woman for the third year in a row. Walton is the 14th richest person on the planet with a current net worth of $134 billion, an eye-catching $33 billion higher than her 2025 net worth. She is the first American woman worth $100 billion, and one of only 20 “centi-billionaires” worldwide claiming 12-figure fortunes, also known as the "$100 Billion Club."
Koch Inc. stakeholder Elaine Marshall and her family are the richest Dallas residents, ranking No. 71 globally with an estimated net worth of $30.9 billion. Her net worth has grown by $2.6 billion since last year.
