Jeff Bezos Reclaims World's No. 3 Richest Spot, Overtakes Brin

Jeff Bezos has reclaimed the position of the world’s third-richest person, overtaking Sergey Brin on the Forbes billionaire rankings, following shifts in market valuations and Amazon retail store closures.

According to Forbes estimates, Bezos’s net worth rose by about $4.8 billion in a single day to roughly $254 billion.  The increase was enough to move him ahead of Brin, whose fortune stood at an estimated $253 billion at the time of the ranking update. The change places Bezos behind Elon Musk and Bernard Arnault on the global world’s richest list.

The reshuffle comes after Amazon announced it would shut down a number of its remaining brick-and-mortar stores, a move seen as part of a broader effort to reduce costs and sharpen its focus on core businesses.

• Jeff Bezos reclaims world’s No. 3 richest spot, overtakes Sergey Brin
• Amazon share gains lift Bezos ahead of Brin in Forbes billionaire rankings
• Bezos moves back to No. 3 as tech stock shifts reshape global wealth list

Investors responded positively to the strategy, pushing Amazon shares higher and boosting the value of Bezos’s stake in the company.

Although Bezos stepped down as Amazon’s chief executive in 2021, he remains its largest individual shareholder. Changes in Amazon’s stock price therefore continue to have a direct and significant impact on his personal wealth. Market optimism around e-commerce efficiency and the long-term growth of Amazon Web Services has supported the recent rise in the company’s valuation.

The switch between Bezos and Brin highlights the volatility among the world’s wealthiest individuals, where even modest stock movements can lead to rapid changes in rankings. Brin had only recently moved into the No. 3 position after gains in Alphabet shares earlier in January, briefly pushing Bezos down the list.

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At the top end of the billionaire rankings, fortunes remain closely tied to technology stocks and investor sentiment. With equity markets reacting quickly to corporate restructuring and earnings expectations, analysts expect continued movement among the top names in global wealth standings in the coming weeks.