Meet the richest women in the world in 2025
Every year, Forbes compiles a list of the world’s wealthiest women using factors including their net worth and investments.
In 2025, 406 female billionaires were counted in total, representing 13.4% of all billionaires in the world.
While most billionaires are still men, these women are proving they can lead big companies, grow their own businesses, and give back to society.
Some of these women inherited their wealth, but many also built their fortunes from scratch. From fashion to finance, and from candy to shipping, here are the top 10 richest women in the world in 2025, according to Forbes.
Alice Walton – US$101 billion
Alice Walton is the richest woman in the world. Her father started Walmart, and she owns a large part of it. Even though she never worked at Walmart, the company’s success made her wealth grow.
She spends her time supporting the arts. She built a museum in her hometown in Arkansas and has given away billions through charities, especially to help with education and the environment.
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers – US$81.6 billion
Francoise Bettencourt Meyers comes from the family that founded L’Oréal, one of the biggest beauty brands in the world. She became the main heir after her mother died in 2017.
Her family still owns a large part of the company. She keeps a low profile and rarely appears in public, but her two sons help run the business.
Julia Koch – US$74.2 billion
Julia Koch became very rich after her husband, David Koch, died in 2019. She and her children inherited a big share of Koch Industries, one of the largest private companies in the U.S.
She grew up in a normal family and dreamed of becoming a fashion designer. Now, she gives millions to hospitals and museums to help improve health and education.
Jaqueline Mars – US$42.6 billion
Jaqueline Mars owns a big part of Mars Inc., the company behind M&M’s, Snickers and Pedigree pet food. Her grandfather started the business over 100 years ago.
She worked in different parts of the company and also supports many causes. She helps groups in arts, sports, and horse riding in the U.S.
Savitri Jindal – US$35.5 billion
Savitri Jindal is the richest woman in India. Her family owns a huge steel and energy company. She took over after her husband passed away.
She is also involved in politics and has worked to support education and healthcare in her country.
Abigail Johnson – US$32.7 billion
Abigail Johnson runs Fidelity Investments, a company her grandfather started. It helps people manage their money, retire, and invest.
She became the boss in 2014 and has made the company even bigger.
Miriam Adelson – US$32 billion
Miriam Adelson’s wealth comes from Las Vegas Sands, one of the biggest casino companies in the world. She got her share after her husband died.
She is also a doctor and gives a lot of money to help with health research and public health programs.
Marilyn Simons – US$31 billion
Marilyn Simons is the widow of Jim Simons, who ran a very successful hedge fund. She now leads the Simons Foundation, which helps fund science and education.
She keeps working to support research in maths and health. Her goal is to make science useful for people’s everyday lives.
Melinda French Gates – US$30.4 billion
Melinda French Gates is known for her work in technology and charity. She was married to Microsoft founder Bill Gates and helped build their foundation.
She now runs her own company, Pivotal Ventures, which supports women and families hoping to involve more women to lead in business and in their communities.
Gianluigi Aponte-Diamant – fortune details not clearly stated
Together with her husband, she started MSC, a global shipping company. They began with one ship and grew it into the largest fleet in the world.
She is one of the few women who built her own fortune and has won many awards for her work in the shipping industry.
