By Editor Drealomalicha
Alice Walton has once again claimed the crown as the world’s richest woman, according to Forbes’ latest ranking of female billionaires. The Walmart heiress’ fortune is estimated at a staggering $134 billion, placing her at the top of the global list for the second consecutive year.
Daughter of retail magnate Sam Walton, Alice first surpassed Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, heir to the cosmetics empire L’Oréal, in September 2024. Bettencourt Meyers now ranks second, with an estimated net worth of $100 billion, followed by Julia Koch, widow of industrialist David Koch, whose wealth stands at $81.2 billion.
Despite these remarkable figures, women still represent a small portion of the world’s ultra-wealthy. Of the 3,428 billionaires tracked by Forbes, only 481 are women—roughly 14 percent, up slightly from 406 women, or 13.4 percent, the previous year.
The list also highlights shifts in wealth among female billionaires. Iris Fontbona rose to fourth place with an estimated $52.6 billion, overtaking Jacqueline Mars, the heir to the Mars Inc. fortune, who now sits fifth with $49.1 billion. Among the top ten, Swiss shipping entrepreneur Rafaela Aponte-Diamant is the only self-made billionaire, her fortune valued at $44.5 billion.
Overall, only 122 of the 481 female billionaires are self-made, a modest increase from 113 the previous year. The next wealthiest self-made woman is American businesswoman Diane Hendricks, with $22.3 billion.
The ranking also features prominent celebrities who have successfully turned fame into fortune. Beyoncé joins the list for the first time with an estimated $1 billion, while fellow music stars Rihanna ($1 billion) and Taylor Swift ($2 billion) also make appearances. Entrepreneur Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, is estimated at $1.4 billion.
The list underscores both the immense fortunes amassed through inheritance and the growing, though still limited, presence of self-made women among the world’s wealthiest.
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