Whether they’re founders or heiresses to some of the world’s biggest companies, most of the world’s richest women saw their wealth grow over the past year.
The sources of their fortunes span a range of industries, from cosmetics to building supplies, and most of the top 20 hail from the US.
This ranking and additional information were compiled from Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List. It shows a snapshot of wealth from March 1, 2026. Women comprised 14% of the Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List.
Forbes estimates net worth using assets such as stakes in public and private companies, real estate, and other holdings; it also accounts for factors including debt and charitable giving.
In some cases, Forbes also counts wealth held by a founder or heir’s immediate family, identifying those entries with “& family.”
“Source” refers to the main source of the individual’s wealth. “World rank” refers to each woman’s placement on the 2006 World’s Billionaires List.
With a combined wealth of $886 billion, including that of some immediate family members, here are the 20 richest women in the world:
20. Diane Hendricks — $22.3 billion
Source: Building supplies
Country: US
World rank: 113
Diane Hendricks, 79, cofounded ABC Supply in 1982 with her husband. After the death of Ken Hendricks in 2007, she has been the chair of ABC Supply and has led the company on its two biggest acquisitions.
19. Christy Walton — $24.3 billion
Source: Walmart
Country: US
World rank: 106
Christy Walton, 77, inherited a stake in Walmart after her husband, John Walton, died in 2005. She also inherited about one-sixth of his estate.
18. Gina Rinehart — $25.5 billion
Source: Mining
Country: Australia
World rank: 101
Gina Rinehart, 72, rebuilt her father’s financially distressed company, Hancock Prospecting, following his death. Since 1992, she has been the executive chair of Hancock, whose biggest asset is an iron ore mining project.
17. Vicky Safra & family — $27.1 billion
Source: Banking
Country: Greece
World rank: 94
Vicky Safra, 74, inherited her fortune, along with her children, from her late husband, Joseph Safra. The family’s financial empire includes J. Safra Sarasin in Switzerland, Safra National Bank of New York, and Banco Safra in Brazil.
16. MacKenzie Scott — $28.6 billion
Source: Amazon
Country: US
World rank: 84
MacKenzie Scott, 56, gained a 4% stake in Amazon following her divorce from founder Jeff Bezos. An author and philanthropist, Scott shares details of her donations on the website Yield Giving.
15. Susanne Klatten — $29.7 billion
Source: BMW, pharmaceuticals
Country: Germany
World rank: 79
Susanne Klatten, 64, owns about 19% of BMW, which she inherited from her parents. Klatten is the sole owner and deputy chair of Altana, a global specialty chemicals company.
14. Lyndal Stephens Greth & family — $30 billion
Source: Oil and gas
Country: US
World rank: 77
Lyndal Stephens Greth, 51, became chair of Endeavor Energy Resources after her father, who founded the firm, died. Endeavor, an oil and gas exploration and production company, was acquired by Diamondback in 2024.
13. Melinda French Gates — $30.3 billion
Source: Microsoft
Country: US
World rank: 74
Melinda French Gates, 62, is the founder of Pivotal and former cochair of the Gates Foundation. She spent the first decade of her career at Microsoft and is known for her philanthropy.
12. Elaine Marshall & family — $30.9 billion
Source: Koch Inc.
Country: US
World rank: 71
Elaine Marshall, 84, and her two sons inherited an estimated 16% stake in Koch Inc. from her late husband.
E. Pierce Marshall’s father, J. Howard Marshall II was an early partner of Fred Koch.
11. Marilyn Simons & family — $32.5 billion
Source: Hedge funds
Country: US
World rank: 66
Marilyn Simons, 75, is the widow of Jim Simons, who founded hedge fund firm Renaissance Technologies. She is the cofounder and chair of the Simons Foundation, which funds research in mathematics and the basic sciences.
10. Zheng Shuliang & family — $33.2 billion
Source: Aluminum products
Country: China
World rank: 63
Zheng Shuliang, 80, was vice chair of one of China’s largest aluminum producers, China Hongqiao Group, until May 2026. Her late husband, Zhang Shiping, founded the company.
9. Abigail Johnson — $33.2 billion
Source: Fidelity
Country: US
World rank: 63
Abigail Johnson, 64, is the chair and CEO of Fidelity Investments, which was founded by her grandfather in 1946. Johnson took over from her father as CEO in 2014.
8. Miriam Adelson & family — $37.5 billion
Source: Casinos
Country: US
World rank: 56
Miriam Adelson, 80, and her family own over half of the casino company Las Vegas Sands. Her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, was the founder and former CEO of the company. Adelson acquired a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks in 2023.
7. Savitri Jindal & family — $39.1 billion
Source: Steel
Country: India
World rank: 51
Savitri Jindal, 76, is the chair of O.P. Jindal Group, a conglomerate with business interests spanning steel and power. The group’s businesses are independently run by her four sons after the death of Jindal’s husband in 2005,
6. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant — $44.5 billion
Source: Shipping
Country: Switzerland
World rank: 44
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, 81, owns half of MSC, one of the world’s largest global shipping and logistics companies. Aponte-Diamant and her husband joined the industry together in 1970.
5. Jacqueline Mars — $49.1 billion
Source: Candy, pet food
Country: US
World rank: 38
Jacqueline Mars, 86, is the granddaughter of Franklin Clarence Mars, who founded the confectionery, food, and pet care manufacturer Mars. She owns an estimated one-third of the company.
4. Iris Fontbona & family — $52.6 billion
Source: Mining
Country: Chile
World rank: 35
Iris Fontbona, 83, and her children control Antofagasta Plc, a Chile-based, London-listed copper mining company. When her husband, Andrónico Luksic, died in 2005, she and his heirs inherited his businesses.
3. Julia Koch & family — $81.2 billion
Source: Koch, Inc.
Country: US
World rank: 24
Julia Koch, 64, and her children inherited a 42% stake in Koch, Inc. after her husband’s death in 2019. Koch is one of the world’s largest privately held companies and operates across a range of industries, from energy to healthcare.
2. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family — $100 billion
Source: L’Oréal
Country: France
World rank: 20
As the granddaughter of the founder of L’Oréal, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, 73, is a philanthropist and the reigning heiress of the world’s largest cosmetics company. Bettencourt Meyers and her immediate family hold a stake of more than one-third in L’Oréal.
1. Alice Walton — $134 billion
Source: Walmart
Country: US
World rank: 14
Alice Walton, the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, is the richest woman in the world. Since last year, her wealth has increased by $12 billion after a jump in Walmart’s stock, Forbes reported.
Walton is an arts patron and philanthropist, and has not taken an active role in the family-owned business.
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