The world's wealthiest: Forbes reveals its top 10 richest billionaires

Bill Gates remains the world’s wealthiest man.

14:42 04 March 2015

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has once again been named as the world’s wealthiest billionaire by American business magazine Forbes.

Gates saw his net worth increase from £51.5 billion in 2015 from £49.4 billion last year. This is the 16th time that he topped the annual list in the last 21 years.

He is followed by telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu, who phoned in a net worth of £50.1 billion. He is the same man who beat Gates to the top spot in 2013. Investor Warren Buffet also made it to the front of the queue with net worth of £47.2 billion.

80per cent of the top 10 billionaires are Americans. The non-Americans that made it to the list are Carlos Slim Helu and Zara founder Amancio Ortega who are from Mexico and Spain, respectively.

Tetra Pack boss Hans Rausing is the only Brit on the list and Christy Walton, one of the heirs to the Wal-Mart retail empire, is the first woman to make it on the list.

The world’s top 10 billionaires are:

1. Bill Gates Net Worth: £51.5 B Source of wealth: Microsoft
2. Carlos Slim Helu & family Net Worth: £50.1 B Source of wealth: telecom
3. Warren Buffett Net Worth: £47.2 B Source of wealth: Berkshire Hathaway
4. Amancio Ortega Net Worth: £42 B Source of wealth: Zara
5. Larry Ellison Net Worth: £35.4 B Source of wealth: Oracle
6. Charles Koch Net Worth: £27.9 B Source of wealth: diversified
7. David Koch Net Worth: £27.9 B Source of wealth: diversified
8. Christy Walton & family Net Worth: £27.1 B Source of wealth: Wal-Mart
9. Jim Walton Net Worth: £26.4 B Source of wealth: Wal-Mart
10. Liliane Bettencourt & family Net Worth: £26.1 B Source of wealth: L’Oreal