Oracle Corporation Co-founder and Chairman Larry Ellison has emerged as the world’s second richest person, overtaking Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, according to Forbes’ real-time billionaire rankings updated on June 15.
Ellison’s net worth has surged to $258.8 billion, driven by a sharp rally in Oracle shares following the company’s robust Q4 earnings. The 80-year-old tech tycoon now trails only Tesla CEO Elon Musk, whose fortune stands at $410.8 billion.
The dramatic rise places Ellison ahead of Zuckerberg ($235.7 billion) and Bezos ($226.8 billion), both of whom had maintained a lead over the Oracle chairman for much of the year.
$66 Billion Gain in Two Months
Ellison’s wealth has grown by a staggering $66.8 billion in just two months, up from $192 billion in April, when Forbes released its annual billionaire list.
The latest boost comes after Oracle reported earnings of $1.70 per share on revenue of $15.9 billion for the quarter ended May 31. Shares of the enterprise software giant closed at $200 on June 13, hitting a record high and adding billions to Ellison’s fortune, much of which is tied to his Oracle stake.
AI and Federal Projects Fuel Momentum
Oracle has recently played a key role in Project Stargate, the U.S. government’s AI infrastructure initiative under President Donald Trump, alongside partners such as OpenAI and SoftBank. The program aims to accelerate the country’s AI development and position American companies at the forefront of global innovation.
Ellison, who also serves as Oracle’s Chief Technology Officer, has championed the firm’s AI ambitions, stating that artificial intelligence would “usher in a new era of surveillance, efficiency, and public behaviour reform.”
Founded in 1977, Oracle has transformed over the decades into a global enterprise software powerhouse, growing through multiple strategic acquisitions, most notably the $28.3 billion purchase of health-tech firm Cerner in 2021.
Billionaire Rankings Shift
With Ellison’s ascent, the global wealth leaderboard has undergone a notable reshuffle:
- Elon Musk: $410.8 billion
- Larry Ellison: $258.8 billion
- Mark Zuckerberg: $235.7 billion
- Jeff Bezos: $226.8 billion
- Warren Buffett: $152.1 billion
Zuckerberg, 43, had briefly climbed to the second position earlier this year, following Meta’s stock performance and its aggressive AI pivot. Bezos, 61, continues to make headlines for personal milestones, including his upcoming marriage to Lauren Sanchez, but has seen relatively modest movement in Amazon’s stock price.
Warren Buffett, now 94 and officially retired from active management at Berkshire Hathaway, rounds out the top five.
