On Thursday, Jensen Huang witnessed a significant boost in his net wealth, with an increase of $9.6 billion, propelled by Nvidia’s soaring share price. This surge elevated him among the world’s richest billionaires, as reported by Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index. As the CEO of Nvidia, his total wealth rose to $69.2 billion following a remarkable 16% surge in the share price of the California-based chip maker, which he co-founded in 1993.
Nvidia’s exceptional fourth-quarter results surpassed expectations, with a 265% increase in sales, totaling $22 billion for the three months ending on Jan. 28. Huang attributed this success to the artificial intelligence industry reaching a “tipping point,” with AI technology becoming mainstream. The surge in Nvidia’s share price resulted in a staggering $277 billion increase in the company’s market capitalization, marking the largest single-day market increase in history, surpassing Meta’s $197 billion surge earlier this month.
In just one day, Huang ascended two positions on the list of the world’s wealthiest individuals, now ranking as the 21st richest person globally. He closely trails behind Julia Koch, an American socialite who inherited billions from her late husband, David Koch, in 2019. Originally from Taiwan, Huang remains a significant figure in the technology sector, holding a 3.51% stake in Nvidia, the semiconductor company he co-founded over 30 years ago. The company’s origins trace back to a meeting with his co-founders, Chris Malachowsky and Curtis Priem, at a Denny’s roadside diner in East San Jose.
In 2024 alone, the 61-year-old tech mogul has seen his wealth surge by $25.2 billion, aligning with Nvidia’s remarkable 63% rally in share price year-to-date. This surge reflects the widespread excitement surrounding AI technology, driving a surge in stock markets throughout the year. Huang’s rapid ascent up the ranks of the world’s wealthiest individuals is remarkable, catapulting from 128th place at the beginning of 2023 to his current 21st place position.
The surge in Nvidia’s stock price also provided a significant boost to the net worth of several top billionaires globally, as shares in various leading tech companies experienced an uptick.
One notable beneficiary of Nvidia’s rally is Taiwanese billionaire Charles Liang, the founder of Supermicro in 1993, whose net worth soared by a third to $7.6 billion, driven by his substantial 12% stake in Nvidia.
At the pinnacle of the wealth rankings, Elon Musk, the world’s richest individual, witnessed a decline in his net worth by $17.5 billion in 2024 thus far, settling at $212 billion. Meanwhile, his counterparts Jeff Bezos and Bernard Arnault both saw substantial increases in their wealth during the same timeframe, adding billions to their respective fortunes.
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