Billionaires command attention worldwide, gaining celebrity status through their achievements across finance, fashion, e-commerce, and various industries. Their stories captivate our imagination, particularly those of women who have established themselves in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Forbes continuously monitors billionaire wealth in real-time, providing the data for this comprehensive list of the world's wealthiest women.
Richest Women In The World 2025
1. Alice Walton
Alice Walton claims the top position as the world's richest woman in 2025. The only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton (d.1992) added an impressive $28.7 billion to her fortune this year as Walmart stock climbed 40%.
Image Courtesy: CrystalBridges
Unlike her siblings who focus on the retail giant, Walton has dedicated her life to art curation. She established the Crystal Bridges Museum of Art in her hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, showcasing works by prominent American artists including Andy Warhol, Norman Rockwell, and Georgia O'Keefe. Her philanthropy extends to education as well—this summer, a new medical school bearing her name will welcome its first cohort of medical students in Bentonville.
2. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers
The French L'Oréal heiress, who held the title of world's richest woman last year, saw her fortune decline as weaker sales, particularly in China, drove shares down 20%. After serving 28 years on the board, Bettencourt Meyers announced her retirement as vice chair in February. Her son, Jean-Victor Meyers, is scheduled to fill the position at the end of the year, continuing the family legacy at the cosmetics giant.
Bettencourt Foundation pic.twitter.com/xAdwfnw3Jm
— Françoise Bettencourt Meyers (@MeyersFrancoise) October 5, 2019
3. Julia Koch & Family
The widow of David Koch (d. 2019) added nearly $10 billion to her fortune this year, maintaining her position as the third richest woman globally. She and her three children inherited a 42% stake in Koch, Inc. (formerly Koch Industries), the second-largest private company in the United States. The Koch empire spans diverse industries, including oil refining, agriculture, and real estate, creating enormous wealth for the family.
Image Courtesy: Davidkochfoundation
4. Jacqueline Mars
Mars' grandfather began his business by selling butter cream candy from his kitchen in 1911. Today, Mars Incorporated owns an impressive portfolio of beloved brands including M&Ms, Snickers, Wrigley's, and Pedigree dog food. Jacqueline Mars served on the company board for 20 years and is estimated to share ownership with her brother John and her four nieces.
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5. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant
Aponte-Diamant holds the distinction of being the richest self-made woman on the Forbes list for the third consecutive year. The Swiss billionaire's fortune stems from her 50% stake in Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world's largest shipping line, which she cofounded with her husband in 1970 after meeting him on a boat trip to Capri, Italy. The company now operates an impressive fleet of 900 ships, with her husband Gianluigi owning the other half of the business.
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6. Savitri Jindal & Family
As India's richest matriarch, Jindal controls the Jindal Group, a conglomerate with interests spanning steel, power, cement, and infrastructure. The company was founded by her late husband, Om Prakash Jindal, who died tragically in a helicopter crash in 2005. Four of Jindal's nine children now help manage the extensive business operations.
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7. Abigail Johnson
Johnson serves as the chairman and CEO of Fidelity Investments, with her wealth stemming from an estimated 28.5% stake in the Boston-based mutual fund company founded by her grandfather in 1946. After spending summers working at Fidelity during college, Johnson joined the company full-time as an analyst in 1988. She became CEO in 2014 when her father, Edward "Ned" Johnson III (d. 2022), stepped down.
Image Courtesy: VillageGlobal
8. Miriam Adelson & Family
The Israeli-born billionaire and her family own more than half of Las Vegas Sands, the casino empire behind iconic properties such as the Venetian Macao and the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Her late husband, Sheldon Adelson (d. 2021), founded the company in 1989. A physician by training, Adelson has directed much of her medical background and philanthropic efforts toward combating drug addiction. She is also known as a prolific Republican donor.
Image Courtesy:Miriam Adelson
9. Marilyn Simons & Family
The widow of renowned investor Jim Simons (d. May 2024) now controls the Simons Foundation, an organisation the couple cofounded to support science education and research. Simons has devoted a significant portion of her career to philanthropic leadership. She currently sits on the boards of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the East Harlem Scholar Academies, and chairs Stony Brook University's Women's Leadership Council, a mentorship programme she established in 2014 at her alma mater.
10. Melinda French Gates
Melinda French Gates is $19.3 billion richer this year, after Forbes increased its estimate of her 2021 divorce settlement with Bill Gates to approximately $25 billion. In June 2024, she resigned from the Gates Foundation to focus on Pivotal Ventures, a firm she founded to invest in women-led funds and startups. The organisation also maintains a philanthropic arm focused on social change and women's issues globally. Consistently ranked among America's top philanthropists, she and Bill Gates' estimated lifetime giving totals an impressive $47.7 billion.
Image Courtesy: Press Information Bureau
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