China’s AI Billionaires Surge as Global Wealth Reaches New High

The number of billionaires worldwide has climbed to a record 4,020, fueled by the boom in artificial intelligence. China now leads the world in billionaire count, surpassing the United States, according to the latest Hurun Global Rich List.

China is home to 1,110 billionaires, exceeding the 1,000 in the United States. India follows with 308, and Germany with 171. A total of 578 new billionaires emerged globally last year, with 46 of those newly minted billionaires originating from the AI industry.

The Rise of AI Billionaires

The AI sector is a significant driver of this wealth creation. Yan Junjie, CEO of MiniMax Group, exemplifies this trend, achieving a net worth of $3.6 billion thanks to his company’s success in the AI space. Bloomberg reports that MiniMax was initially met with skepticism from investors, but has since become a multibillion-dollar firm.

Global Wealth Distribution

New York remains the city with the largest concentration of billionaires. However, several Chinese cities, including Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Beijing, are rapidly gaining prominence. Switzerland ranks sixth globally with 114 billionaires, holding a collective wealth of $651 billion. The healthcare, financial services, and consumer goods sectors are particularly well-represented in Switzerland.

Leading the Pack: Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos

Elon Musk continues to top the list of the world’s richest individuals, with an estimated fortune of $792 billion. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ($300 billion) and Google co-founder Larry Page ($281 billion) follow closely behind. South China Morning Post reports that MiniMax’s annual recurring revenue reached over $150 million as of February, driven by demand for its M2.5 model.

MiniMax’s Growth and Strategy

MiniMax Group experienced a 159% increase in revenue in 2025, reaching $79 million. CEO Yan Junjie has outlined a shift in strategy, moving from an AI model company to an AI platform company. 36kr details an interview with Yan Junjie where he discussed the significant gap in valuation and revenue between leading US and Chinese AI companies, despite a relatively small technological difference.

Understanding the Rankings

The Hurun Global Rich List is one of the most recognized global wealth rankings, alongside Forbes. While both are published annually, they employ different assessment methodologies, leading to variations in asset valuations and rankings.