Members of the Walton family, heirs to the Walmart fortune, have returned to the ranks of the world’s 10 richest individuals following a sustained rally in Walmart Inc. shares, displacing Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA Corp., from the elite group.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, siblings Jim Walton, Rob Walton and Alice Walton now rank as the 8th, 9th and 10th wealthiest individuals globally, with a combined net worth estimated at $465.8 billion.
Their ascent reflects renewed investor confidence in Walmart’s long-term growth strategy amid a broader rotation away from technology stocks.
What the billionaire index is saying
Huang, 62, has fallen to 11th place on the global wealth ranking after losing about $8 billion since late January. His net worth now stands at approximately $151.4 billion, as Nvidia’s shares have come under pressure.
Investor concerns around the rising costs of artificial intelligence development, as well as questions over near-term returns, have weighed on the stock and triggered volatility across the wider AI sector.
In contrast, Walmart’s performance has stood out. Shares of the US retail giant are up about 20% year-to-date, driven by optimism around its digital transformation and diversification beyond traditional brick-and-mortar retail.
Earlier this month, the company became the first US retailer to surpass a $1 trillion market capitalisation, a milestone that underscores its expanding influence in global commerce.
Backstory
The Waltons remain one of the world’s richest family, with their collective fortune briefly surpassing $500 billion late last year.
They collectively own about 44% of Walmart, which was founded in the 1960s by their father, Sam Walton, alongside his brother Bud Walton.
While family members retain board-level influence, none has served as chief executive since Sam Walton stepped down in 1988.
Alice Walton, the only daughter of the Walton family and an heir to the Walmart Inc. fortune, became the world’s richest woman in April 2025, displacing long-standing wealth leader Françoise Bettencourt Meyers.
At the time, Walton’s net worth climbed to an estimated $95.7 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, following a powerful rally in Walmart’s shares.
The retailer’s stock surged more than 43% in 2024 as investors rewarded its accelerating digital transformation, stronger margins, and expansion into higher-growth businesses such as advertising, data analytics, and e-commerce services.
What you should know
Despite their shared stake, the siblings have pursued distinct interests ranging from professional sports ownership to philanthropy and cultural investments, further cementing the family’s influence beyond retail as Walmart’s resurgence reshapes global wealth rankings.
Market reports point to Walmart’s aggressive push into e-commerce, fast delivery and higher-margin non-retail businesses as key drivers of the rally.
The company has attracted higher-income consumers with a broader online assortment that now includes luxury resale items, collectables, and premium brands, while maintaining its reputation for low prices. Growth in advertising, data analytics and other ancillary services has also bolstered profitability.
Walmart has further leaned into artificial intelligence to streamline operations and improve customer engagement, recently announcing partnerships with Alphabet Inc. and OpenAI.
The retailer is expected to provide more insight into these initiatives when it releases its fourth-quarter results later this week.
