the rich get richer
Fort Worth billionaire Alice Walton remains world's richest woman in 2026
According to Forbes, there has “never been a better time to be a billionaire” than in 2026, and the publication's newest World’s Billionaires List has revealed that Fort Worth Walmart heiress Alice Walton has maintained her elite status as the world's wealthiest woman for the third consecutive year.
Walton, 76, knocked French L’Oreal heiress Françoise Bettencourt Meyers down to second place among wealthiest women in 2024, and has remained at the top of the list ever since. Walton is the 14th richest person on the planet, moving up one spot on the list from last year.
Walton’s current net worth is estimated at $134 billion, an eye-catching $33 billion higher than her 2025 net worth of $101 billion. She is the first American woman worth $100 billion, and one of only 20 “centi-billionaires” worldwide claiming 12-figure fortunes, also known as the "$100 Billion Club."
Out of the 390 billionaire newbies that made their debut onto the list this year, one of them hails from nearby Colleyville: Biotech entrepreneur David Dean Halbert became a billionaire in June 2025 after his diagnostics firm, Caris Life Sciences, went public on the Nasdaq. He ranked No. 1611 on the list with an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion.
Other Fort Worth-area billionaires that made Forbes' 2026 list of the world's richest people include:
- Private equity investor Robert Bass: ranked No. 664 with an estimated net worth of $6.3 billion, up from $5.8 billion in 2025
- Airplane leasing industry creator Steven Udvar-Hazy of Westlake: No. 908, $4.4 billion, up from $4.2 billion
- Oil heir and investor Sid Bass: No. 984, $4.3 billion, up from $3.6 billion
- Oil heir and historical preservationist Edward Bass: No. 1406, $3 billion, up from $2.5 billion
- Oil heir and cattle ranch owner Lee Bass: No. 1440, $2.9 billion, up from $2.2 billion
- D.R. Horton heirs Reagan and Ryan Horton: tied for No. 1676, $2.5 billion, up from $2.1 billion
- Real estate and hospitality honcho John Goff: No. 2177, $1.9 billion, flat since 2024
- Goosehead Insurance co-founders Mark and Robyn Jones: No. 3332, $1 billion, down from $1.2 billion
Austin billionaire Elon Musk was declared the world's richest person for the second consecutive year, and Forbes said his “grip on the top spot is as strong as it’s ever been.”
“Musk became the first person to hit $500 billion in wealth, in October,” Forbes said. “Then $600 billion and $700 billion, within four days in December. Then $800 billion, in February.”
The Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI founder’s current net worth has skyrocketed to $839 billion — a shocking $497 billion more than his 2025 net worth.
