• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

2

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises

1

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that

2

Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI

3

The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
FinanceBillionaires

The richest men in the world have lost a ton of money this year after the pandemic swelled their wallets. From Musk to Bezos, here’s the net worth carnage

Will Daniel
By
Will Daniel
Will Daniel
Down Arrow Button Icon
Will Daniel
By
Will Daniel
Will Daniel
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 24, 2022, 5:00 AM ET

Throughout the pandemic, corporations and billionaires raked in record profits, even as millions of people lost their livelihoods, watched loved ones pass, and felt the sting of sky-high inflation.

In the past two years alone, billionaires’ fortunes increased as much as they had in the previous 23 years combined, according to a new study from Oxfam, pushing the groups’ total net worth to $12.7 trillion, or roughly 13.9% of global GDP. That’s a more than threefold increase since 2000.

During the pandemic, a new billionaire was minted every 30 hours on average, but it’s been a different story since the start of this year.

The S&P 500 has plummeted nearly 18% year to date, and cryptocurrencies have seen $1 trillion in value erased from the market, driving record losses for the world’s wealthiest.

But it’s not just billionaires that are feeling the sting of falling asset prices. JPMorgan Chase estimates that American households have collectively lost at least $5 trillion in wealth so far in 2022, and that number could rise to $9 trillion by the end of the year.

It’s “a wealth shock that is set to drag on growth in the coming year,” the investment bank said in a May 21 note to clients.

Despite billionaires’ recent losses, mounting losses for average consumers mean inequality continues to run rampant. In fact, Oxfam says the bottom half of global earners would have to work for an estimated 112 years to make what the top 1% is able to net in a single year.

Still, billionaires’ net worth has fallen almost $1.6 trillion since its November peak, Bloomberg estimates, and U.S. billionaires alone have seen their fortunes cut by roughly $800 billion.

Here’s a list of some of the billionaires who’ve lost the most in this year’s stock and crypto rout.

Changpeng Zhao

Changpeng Zhao, the CEO of Binance, the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange by volume,  tops the list for the largest year-to-date drop in net worth so far.

Zhao saw his net worth fall from nearly $95 billion in January to just $14.9 billion as of Friday while the cryptocurrency market tumbled. 

The CEO famously lost $1.6 billion on his investment in Luna this month alone after the collapse of the stablecoin TerraUSD, leading him to fall from his spot as the 11th richest person in the world in January to the 113th richest person today.

Year-to-date net worth loss: $80.9 billion

Elon Musk

While Elon Musk’s decision to buy Twitter has captured headlines over the past few months, the Tesla CEO has also watched his net worth plummet through the first five months of the year.

Tesla stock is down roughly 44% year to date, causing Musk’s fortune to drop from $270.1 billion in January to just $201 billion as of Friday.

Although, it’s important to note that even after the losses, Musk’s fortune still amounts to roughly 5.4% of the wealth held by the bottom 50% of Americans as of the end of last year, and he remains the world’s richest person.

Year-to-date net worth loss: $69.1 billion

Jeff Bezos

Even though Jeff Bezos has stepped away from his CEO role at Amazon, the billionaire still owns roughly 10% of the e-commerce giant. 

And with Amazon stock falling roughly 37% since the start of the year, Bezos has seen his net worth plunge from $192.1 billion in January to just $131 billion as of Friday. While Bezos remains the world’s second richest person, his fortune is now a far cry from the record $211 billion seen in July of last year.

Year-to-date net worth loss: $61.1 billion

Bernard Arnault

Bernard Arnault, the chairman and CEO of the largest luxury goods company in the world, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, takes the fourth spot in this year’s biggest billionaire losers list. 

The business magnate, investor, and art collector managed to briefly capture the title of world’s richest man from Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk in 2021, but as of Friday, he was only the third richest person on the planet.

Arnault, who celebrated his 73rd birthday in March, owns a 47.5% stake in LVMH and has watched as LVMH’s American ADR dropped 28% so far this year. His net worth now stands at $123 billion.

Year-to-date net worth loss: $55.2 billion

Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg has also seen his fortune take a dive this year as Facebook shares have traded down 42% year to date.

The Facebook CEO saw his net worth drop from $122.5 billion in January to just $71.4 billion as of Friday.

Zuckerberg was once the third richest person in the world, but has since fallen to the #13 spot as of Friday.

Year-to-date net worth loss: $54.1 billion

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
Will Daniel
By Will Daniel
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Finance

Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a ‘non-linear’ price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
EnergyOil
Oil markets could be a month away from the moment of truth. Brace for a ‘non-linear’ price spike and panic buying, analysts warn
By Jason MaMay 16, 2026
1 hour ago
lirr
EconomyRailroads
Spring Hamptons traffic nightmare as Long Island Rail Road workers go on strike
By Philip Marcelo, Nick Lichtenberg and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
6 hours ago
delivery
Retailecommerce
Walmart’s upper hand over Amazon in the $1 trillion e-commerce race: 90% of Americans live within 10 miles of a superstore
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
6 hours ago
milei
North AmericaInflation
Argentinians wage inflation strike on red meat sending beef consumption to 20-year low
By Clara Preve and The Associated PressMay 16, 2026
7 hours ago
tom
SuccessEntrepreneurs
Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio got a 15x return on a tech company most Americans have never heard of. He thinks his own industry is broken
By Nick LichtenbergMay 16, 2026
9 hours ago
bhaskar
Economydisruption
The prophet of the ‘Wired Belt’ says capitalism is finally eating itself
By Bhaskar ChakravortiMay 16, 2026
10 hours ago

Most Popular

Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
Success
Despite having a $165 million net worth, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance doesn’t exist—and the first step to success is admitting that
By Preston ForeMay 13, 2026
3 days ago
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
AI
Microsoft AI chief gives it 18 months—for all white-collar work to be automated by AI
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
8 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
4 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of May 15, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 15, 2026
1 day ago
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
Future of Work
Meet the 20-year-old CEO who launched a company in high school to solve Gen Z's entry-level job crisis
By Jake AngeloMay 16, 2026
12 hours ago
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
Future of Work
‘You’re not a hero, you’re a liability’: Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary warns Gen Z founders to stop glorifying hustle culture
By Jacqueline MunisMay 16, 2026
8 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.