Foreign-born entrepreneurs, investors and technology executives have continued to shape the United States economy, with immigrant billionaires now controlling a combined fortune estimated at $2.2tn.
A new ranking shared by Forbes on its X account showed that 144 immigrant billionaires residing in the United States account for that collective wealth, underscoring their significant contribution to the country’s billionaire class.
The ranking highlights the growing influence of immigrants across sectors including technology, finance, manufacturing, media and entertainment, where many have founded or led companies with global reach.
South Africa-born Elon Musk emerged as the wealthiest immigrant billionaire in America with an estimated net worth of $927bn, generated through businesses including Tesla and SpaceX.
Russia-born Sergey Brin, the co-founder of Google, ranked second with an estimated fortune of $272bn, while Taiwan-born Jensen Huang, the co-founder and chief executive officer of Nvidia, placed third with a net worth of $176bn.
Others on the list include Hungary-born Thomas Peterffy in fourth place with $107bn and Israel-born Miriam Adelson and family in fifth position with $33.4bn.
Taiwan-born David Sun and China-born John Tu jointly occupied sixth place with fortunes of $30.5bn each, while Germany-born Peter Thiel ranked eighth with $27.9bn.
Australia-born Rupert Murdoch secured the ninth position with a net worth of $22.1bn, while Iran-born Adam Foroughi completed the top 10 with an estimated fortune of $18.9bn.
Several entrepreneurs featured in the ranking attributed their success to educational opportunities, innovation and the business environment available in the United States.
“I did my undergrad in India and I came here to do my master’s, and my plan actually was to come to the U.S., get my degree, maybe do a job for five years and then go back,” said Jitendra Mohan, co-founder of Astera Labs.
“And everything worked out to plan except the last bit. So now I’ve been here for 32 years.”
Astera Labs co-founder Sanjay Gajendra also described the United States as a place that encouraged his entrepreneurial ambitions.
“It’s been a journey of coming to the U.S. with big dreams. For me, it was always about starting a company of my own,” Gajendra said.
Jordan-born Amjad Masad, the co-founder of software company Replit, said the country continues to offer strong prospects for entrepreneurs seeking to build innovative businesses.
“America still provides a lot of opportunity, it’s one of the most dynamic markets and innovative places,” Masad said.
The Forbes ranking reflects the diverse origins of America’s wealthiest immigrant billionaires and illustrates the role of global talent in driving innovation, investment and economic growth across multiple industries.
Top 10 richest immigrant billionaires in America
- Elon Musk — $927bn (South Africa)
- Sergey Brin — $272bn (Russia)
- Jensen Huang — $176bn (Taiwan)
- Thomas Peterffy — $107bn (Hungary)
- Miriam Adelson & Family — $33.4bn (Israel)
- David Sun — $30.5bn (Taiwan)
- John Tu — $30.5bn (China)
- Peter Thiel — $27.9bn (Germany)
- Rupert Murdoch — $22.1bn (Australia)
- Adam Foroughi — $18.9bn (Iran)
