Women’s representation on the 2025 Forbes’ World’s Billionaires list edged up to 406 from 369 the year before, or 13.4% of the list of the planet’s 3,028 billionaires.
Nine of the 10 richest women on the list inherited their wealth, while 113 made their own fortunes, including Taylor Swift, whose phenomenally successful Eras tour bumped up her wealth by 45% to $1.6 billion year over year.
Two women fell out of the top 10, one because prices in her market sector fell, the other because she continues to make big donations to philanthropic causes, according to the magazine.
The World’s Billionaires list is a ranking of every person who, in Forbes’ estimation, had a net worth of $1 billion or more as of March 7, 2025. Forbes said that when possible, its researchers met with billionaires in person or spoke with them virtually or by phone. They also interviewed their employees, handlers, asset managers and financial advisors, rivals, peers and attorneys.
Researchers also pored over thousands of documents from the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatosrs, along with court filings, probate records and news articles. They took into account all types of assets, and factored in known debt and charitable giving.
They excluded dispersed family fortunes, though they listed wealth belonging to the immediate family of the living founder of a fortune under the founder’s name. In some cases, we also include wealth held by the immediate family member of an heir.
See the gallery for the world’s 15 richest women in 2025, according to Forbes. The ranking is drawn from the Real-Time Billionaires list, with net worths as of May 4.
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