Billionaire Facts

Famous billionaire Howard Hughes stored his own urine in large bottles.

In 2000, China had zero billionaires. By 2024, it had over 800 billionaires, the second-highest number in the world after the United States.

Martha Stewart became a billionaire while in prison.

Oil tycoon, John D. Rockefeller, was the world's first billionaire.

The world's ten richest billionaires have more combined wealth than the 40 poorest countries' annual GDP.

The founder of IKEA was worth $50 billion. He drove a 1993 Volvo. He flew economy. He ate at IKEA. He bought his clothes at flea markets because "it's a waste to throw out good things." His employees were embarrassed to ride in his car. Ingvar Kamprad built the world's largest furniture empire and lived like he was furnishing his first apartment from it.

J.K. Rowling became the first person to fall off the Forbes billionaire list primarily due to charitable giving, donating over $160 million to causes including children's welfare and multiple sclerosis research.

Bill Gates could give away 98% of his wealth and still be a billionaire.

In 1978, Richard Branson tried to impress his girlfriend by pretending to buy a Caribbean island listed at $6 million. He jokingly offered $100,000 and was thrown off the island — but a year later, with no other buyers, the desperate owner accepted just $180,000.