Here's some news that should cheer up Jack Ma from his funk. Of all the billionaires in the world, he had the biggest jump in his fortune this year.
In a volatile year for the world's rich, the Alibaba founder saw his fortune surge to $29.2 billion from just over $10 billion, according to Wealth-X. That 173 percent increase made him the biggest financial gainer of the year for billionaires, Wealth-X said.
Warren Buffett came in second place, with a gain of $13.5 billion in 2014, a 23 percent increase from last year, to push his fortune to US$72.6 billion. Bill Gates saw his net worth grow by US$10.5 billion in 2014 to reach US$83.1 billion.
The biggest loser, according to Wealth-X, was Russian energy tycoon Leonid Mikhelson, whose fortune shrank to $10 billion from $17 billion.
Gainers
- Rank #1 - Jack Ma
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $10.7 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $29.2 billion
- Gain: $18.5 billion, +173 percent
- Rank #2 - Warren Buffett
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $59.1 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $72.6 billion
- Gain: $13.5 billion, +23 percent
- Rank #3 - Bill Gates
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $72.6 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $83.1 billion
- Gain: $10.5 billion, +14 percent
- Rank #4 - Mark Zuckerberg
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $24.7 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $33.1 billion
- Gain: $8.4 billion, +34 percent
- Rank #5 - Patrick Drahi
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $7.8 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $12.9 billion
- Gain: $5.1 billion, +65 percent
Losers
- Rank #1 - Leonid Mikhelson
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $17 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $10 billion
- Loss: $7 billion, -41 percent
- Rank #2 - Masayoshi Son
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $19.1 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $13.2 billion
- Loss: $5.9 billion, -31 percent
- Rank #3 - Lui Chee Woo
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $19.6 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $14.1 billion
- Loss: $5.5 billion, -28 percent
- Rank #4 - Jeff Bezos
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $34.4 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $28.9 billion
- Loss: $5.5 billion, -16 percent
- Rank #5 - Sheldon Adelson
- Net Worth in Dec 2013: $35.3 billion
- Net Worth in Dec 2014: $30.1 billion
- Loss: $5.2 billion, -15 percent