They are the richest of the rich, the ones with more money than one can ever spend. But it’s no longer uniquely American.
Topping the charts, with 396 billionaires, five times more than any other nation: wave your star-spangled banner for the U.S.A.!
Hardly surprising, right? But this year’s Wealth Report, issued by Citi Private Bank, shows that other nations are making grand strides to catch up with the U.S. The world’s burgeoning economies have added dozens of 12-figure earners in the past year alone.
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China’s bank accounts have seen the greatest benefit in the past year, increasing their billionaire count by 140% to 72. The Asia-Pacific region as a whole saw a 35% increase in billionaire club members, helped also by India’s strides into the fourth place spot, tallying 47 billionaires. Russia and Germany help round out the top five, counting 53 and 43 Richie Riches, respectively.
The single top seed goes to Mexican telecom mogul Carlos Slim Helu, who is worth a reported $74 billion. Distant second is Bill Gates at $56 billion, followed by Warren Buffett at $50 billion. Six Facebook billionaires help keep America in a solid first place, but Citi’s report warns that China’s rapid gains could unseat the red, white and blue in just years.
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