The world’s wealthiest women, like Alice Walton, Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and Julia Koch, run outstanding empires. While some are successful businesspersons, others are inheritors of wealth who continue to manage their legendary fortunes. Although their numbers have increased, women are still a minority among the world’s wealthiest people.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- The wealthiest women have acquired wealth through diverse sources, including investments, inheritance, and innovations.
- Most of them hold wealth across multiple industries, including beauty, retail, steel, sports, and philanthropy.
- Alice Walton and Françoise Bettencourt Meyer have ranked among the wealthiest women in the world for years.
Top 10 richest women in the world in 2026
Many women have excelled in their fields and amassed massive wealth, making them among the wealthiest people in the world. However, some have amassed their fortunes through inheritance.
According to Forbes and other reliable sources, here are the wealthiest women by net worth in 2026. Note that the list may exclude those who are extremely wealthy and whose net worth is not publicly confirmed.
|
No. |
Name |
Net worth |
|
1 |
Alice Walton |
$136.4 billion |
|
2 |
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family |
$92.4 billion |
|
3 |
Julia Koch & family |
$81.2 billion |
|
4 |
Jacqueline Mars |
$46.6 billion |
|
5 |
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant |
$43.6 billion |
|
6 |
Abigail Johnson |
$40.2 billion |
|
7 |
Savitri Jindal & family |
$39.5 billion |
|
8 |
Miriam Adelson & family |
$36.1 billion |
|
9 |
MacKenzie Scott |
$33.7 billion |
|
10 |
Marilyn Simons & family |
$32.5 billion |
10. Marilyn Simons & family – $32.5 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 4 January 1951
- Place of birth: United States
- Net worth: $32.5 billion
- Source of wealth: Hedge Funds
Marilyn Simons is one of the top 20 richest women in the world in 2026. She is the widow of the late hedge fund investor Jim Simons. He died in May 2024 at age 86.
Marilyn chairs the $4.5 billion Simons Foundation (assets) and serves on the boards of the Stony Brook Foundation and Learning Spring Elementary School. Marilyn Simons & family’s net worth is $32.5 billion, according to Forbes.
9. MacKenzie Scott – $33.7 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 7 April 1970
- Place of birth: San Francisco, California, United States
- Net worth: $33.7 billion
- Source of wealth: Amazon stake
MacKenzie Scott is a novelist, philanthropist, and the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Today, Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife’s net worth is $33.7 billion, making her one of the top 50 richest women in the world in 2026.
Scott received a 4% stake in Amazon after parting ways with Jeff Bezos. In May 2019, she signed the Giving Pledge. She promised to give away at least half of her wealth to charity.
8. Miriam Adelson & family – $36.1 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 10 October 1945
- Place of birth: Mandatory Palestine
- Net worth: $36.1 billion
- Source of income: Las Vegas Sands (gaming house)
Miriam Adelson is an Israeli-American physician, businesswoman, and political donor. She is the widow of Sheldon Adelson, the former CEO and chair of Las Vegas Sands, who died in 2021.
In late 2023, Miriam bought a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks NBA team from Mark Cuban. Today, Miriam Adelson’s net worth is $36.1 billion.
7. Savitri Jindal & family – $39.5 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 20 March 1950
- Place of birth: Tinsukia, India
- Net worth: $39.5 billion
- Sources of wealth: Steel, power, cement and infrastructure
Savitri Jindal is a businesswoman and politician. She is the chairperson emeritus of the OP Jindal Group. She is also the president of Maharaja Agrasen Medical College in Agroha.
Savitri is the widow of Om Prakash Jindal, who founded OP Jindal Group. Today, she runs the conglomerate with her four sons. The net worth of Savitri Jindal & family is $39.5 billion. She ranks among the top 10 richest women in the world in 2026, according to Forbes.
6. Abigail Johnson – $40.2 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 19 December 1961
- Place of birth: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- Net worth: $40.2 billion
- Source of wealth: Fidelity Investments
Abigail Johnson takes the sixth spot on the list of the top 100 richest women in the world in 2026. She has served as CEO of Fidelity Investments since 2014.
Abigail took over for her father and has been the chair since 2016. Her grandfather, Edward Johnson II, founded Fidelity Investments in 1946. Today, Abigail Johnson’s net worth is $40.2 billion.
5. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant – $43.6 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 26 March 1945
- Place of birth: Haifa, Israel
- Net worth: $43.6 billion
- Source of wealth: Shipping
Rafaela Aponte-Diamant and her spouse, Gianluigi, own a 50% stake each in MSC, the world’s largest shipping line. The two met on a trip and joined the shipping industry together in 1970.
The couple purchased their first ship with a $200,000 loan. Since then, MSC has grown into the world’s largest shipping line. Rafaela Aponte-Diamant’s net worth is $43.6 billion. Rafaela is among the top 5 richest women in the world in 2026.
4. Jacqueline Mars – $46.6 billion
- Date of birth: 10 October 1939
- Place of birth: United Kingdom
- Net worth: $46.6 billion
- Source of wealth: Candy company (Mars Inc.)
Jacqueline Mars is an heiress and investor best known for running Mars Inc., a candy company. She is the daughter of Audrey Ruth and Forrest Mars Sr., and her grandmother was Franklin Clarence Mars.
Her mom and grandparents are the founders of Mars Inc. Jacqueline owns an estimated one-third of Mars. Today, Jacqueline Mars’ net worth is $46.6 billion.
3. Julia Koch & family – $81.2 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 12 April 1962
- Place of birth: Des Moines, Iowa, United States
- Net worth: $81.2 billion
- Source of wealth: Inheritance (Koch, Inc.)
Julia Koch is a socialite and philanthropist. She inherited massive wealth from her husband, David Koch, who died in 2019. She and her three children inherited a 42% stake in Koch, Inc.
In June 2024, Koch paid about $700 million for a 15% stake in BSE Global. The firm owns the WNBA’s New York Liberty and the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets. Julia Koch & family’s net worth is $81.2 billion.
2. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers & family – $92.4 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 10 July 1953
- Place of birth: Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
- Net worth: $92.4 billion
- Source of wealth: Inheritance (L’Oreal)
Françoise Bettencourt Meyers is the granddaughter of Eugène Schueller, the founder of L’Oreal. She is the only child and heir of Liliane Bettencourt.
Meyers and her family own more than a third of publicly traded L’Oreal. She has served on L’Oreal’s board since 1997 and is chairwoman of the family holding company. Françoise Bettencourt Meyers and the family’s net worth is $92.4 billion.
1. Alice Walton – $136.4 billion
Source: Getty Images
- Date of birth: 7 October 1949
- Place of birth: Newport, Arkansas, United States
- Net worth: $136.4 billion
- Source of wealth: Inheritance (Walmart shares)
Alice Walton is a Walmart heiress and the richest woman in the world as of 2026. She is the daughter of Walmart’s founder, Sam Walton. Her net worth is $136.4 billion. Unlike her siblings, Rob and Jim, Alice does not serve on the Walmart board.
In 2011, Alice opened the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. She has focused on curating art. The source of income for the richest woman in the world is her stake in Walmart.
Is Oprah the richest woman in the world?
Oprah is known as the richest Black woman in the world. She runs a media and business empire. Oprah Winfrey’s net worth is $3.4 billion.
Is Taylor Swift richer than Oprah?
Taylor Swift is the world’s richest female musician, but she is not richer than Oprah. Taylor Swift’s net worth is $1.8 billion, nearly half of Oprah’s wealth.
Who is the richest person in 2026?
Elon Musk is the richest person in the world as of February 2026. He is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. Elon Musk’s net worth is $815.6 billion.
Who is the richest girl in the world under 18?
The richest girls under 18 in the world include Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, Valentina Paloma Pinault, Blue Ivy Carter, Stormi Webster, and North West.
Who is the youngest, richest woman in the world?
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Who is the richest female in the world?
Alice Walton is the wealthiest woman in the world, with a net worth of $136.4 billion. She is an heir to Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart.
The top 10 richest women in the world have been proactive in wealth creation, with some running multinational businesses valued at billions of dollars. They are leaders in different industries, including mining, cosmetics, and technology. Their successes have inspired younger generations to break the barriers and believe in their dreams.
Legit.ng recently published a list of the richest people in Nigeria. There are numerous millionaires in contemporary Nigeria. Many people are curious about the net worths of Nigeria’s richest people.
The most affluent people in the country have multiple income streams. They have investments in various sectors of the Nigerian economy. Their wealth has made them prominent locally and internationally.
Source: Legit.ng