Forbes magazine, a global reference in finance, business and economics, released the ranking of the richest ‘celebrities’ in the world. In 2026, the magazine identified 22 personalities, including athletes and artists, on the list of billionaires in the world, with a combined net worth estimated at US$48.1 billion, approximately R$241.5 billion. In 2025, there were 18 names, totaling US$39 billion, equivalent to R$195.8 billion.
The new entries in the ranking are Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Roger Federer, Dr. Dre and James Cameron. They join well-known names on the list, such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and Oprah Winfrey, who debuted among Forbes billionaires between the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as more recently incorporated celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, Taylor Swift and Rihanna.
Forbes defines “celebrity” as someone who became famous before becoming extremely rich — a criterion that favors artists and athletes. The list does not include people known primarily for their wealth or business success, such as US President Donald Trump and Mark Cuban. Assets were calculated based on estimates as of March 1, 2026.
See ranking of billionaire celebrities
In 22nd place, Dr. Dre appears with assets estimated at US$1 billion, around R$5.02 billion. The rapper and producer co-founded Beats Electronics and Beats Music, which were sold to Apple for around US$3 billion, or R$15.1 billion, in cash and shares in 2014. He also founded the record label Aftermath Entertainment in 1996 and helped launch the careers of names like Eminem, 50 Cent and Kendrick Lamar.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter occupies the 21st position, also with US$ 1 billion, approximately R$ 5.02 billion. Most of the singer’s fortune comes from her nearly three-decade career, as a solo artist and member of Destiny’s Child. She holds the record for the most Grammys, with 35, and won her first Album of the Year award in 2025. In 2023, Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z purchased a US$200 million mansion in Malibu, in the most expensive residential sale in California history.
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Rihanna appears in 20th place, with US$1 billion, equivalent to R$5.02 billion. Although he keeps fans waiting for new music after ten years without releasing an album, his fortune was built mainly off the stage. Her main asset is Fenty Beauty, a cosmetics company she co-manages with LVMH. The luxury conglomerate is reportedly considering selling its stake in the brand in a deal that could value the company between US$1 billion and US$2 billion, or between R$5.02 billion and R$10.04 billion.
James Cameronone of the new features of 2026, is in 19th place, with US$1.1 billion, approximately R$5.52 billion. The filmmaker directed three of the four highest-grossing films in history: Titanic, Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. He is the second highest-grossing director in history, behind only Steven Spielberg, with almost US$9 billion, approximately R$45.2 billion, generated at the global box office. When Avatar made almost US$3 billion, or R$15.1 billion, in theaters, in addition to millions from DVDs and streaming, Cameron received an estimated US$350 million, about R$1.76 billion, before taxes and fees.
Roger Federer occupies 18th position, with US$ 1.1 billion, approximately R$ 5.52 billion. The Swiss won 20 Grand Slam titles before retiring in 2022 and built one of the most valuable sponsorship portfolios in the history of the sport. At his peak, he earned US$100 million, around R$502 million, off the court in a single year, with brands such as Uniqlo, Rolex and Mercedes. His biggest deal, according to Forbes, was an estimated 3% stake in the Swiss brand On, which went public in 2021 and today has a market value of almost US$15 billion, around R$75.3 billion.
Jerry Seinfeld appears in 17th place, with US$ 1.1 billion, approximately R$ 5.52 billion. The comedian still profits from the hit 1990s series Seinfeld. He and co-creator Larry David receive, according to Forbes, 15% of the sitcom’s distribution revenue, including sales to local broadcasters and streaming platforms. In 2019, Netflix acquired global broadcast rights to the series for five years, in a deal worth more than US$500 million, approximately R$2.51 billion.
Arnold Schwarzenegger it is in 16th place, with US$1.2 billion, approximately R$6.02 billion. One of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood history, the former governor of California received around US$500 million, or R$2.51 billion, before taxes and fees, in fees and profit sharing from his films. He earned even more from investments in real estate in California and in companies such as Dimensional Fund Advisors, in which he purchased a minority stake when the manager managed US$12 billion, approximately R$60.2 billion. Today, the DFA has more than US$1 trillion under management, the equivalent of R$5.02 trillion.
Bruce Springsteen occupies the 15th position, with US$ 1.2 billion, approximately R$ 6.02 billion. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the musician has sold more than 140 million albums worldwide over 50 years of recordings and tours. His biggest payment came in 2021, when he sold his music catalog to Sony Music Entertainment for US$500 million, around R$2.51 billion.
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LeBron James appears in 14th place, with US$ 1.4 billion, approximately R$ 7.03 billion. The NBA star received more than US$500 million, approximately R$2.51 billion, in pre-tax salaries for stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. Off the court, he raised more than US$1 billion, or R$5.02 billion, with deals and advertising contracts with brands such as PepsiCo, Nike and Beats by Dre.
Tyler Perry is in 13th place, with US$1.4 billion, approximately R$7.03 billion. Director, actor, producer and screenwriter, he is known for the Madea franchise, which grossed more than US$660 million, approximately R$3.31 billion. The fortune comes both from his participation as a producer and from a library started in the early 1990s. Perry owns 100% of the content he created.
Dick Wolf occupies 12th position, with US$1.5 billion, approximately R$7.53 billion. The producer is the name behind the Law & Order, Chicago and FBI. His company, Wolf Entertainment, has had a profit-sharing agreement with Universal Television since 2004, which allows it to retain almost half of the earnings from its programs when they are sold for syndication.
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Tiger Woods appears in 11th place, with US$ 1.5 billion, approximately R$ 7.53 billion. The golfer accumulated around US$1.9 billion, approximately R$9.54 billion, before taxes during his professional career, including US$121 million, approximately R$607.4 million, in winnings on the PGA Tour, a competition record. The fortune was built despite him turning down an “unbelievably huge” offer from LIV Golf, which, according to former CEO Greg Norman, would have been in the “high nine figures”.
Magic Johnson is in 10th place, with US$1.6 billion, approximately R$8.03 billion. The former player received around US$40 million, approximately R$200.8 million, in salaries during his career, mainly at the Los Angeles Lakers, and less than US$4 million per year, approximately R$20.1 million, in advertising. Today, he is a minority partner in four professional sports teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Commanders, but most of his wealth comes from his majority stake in Equitrust, a life insurance company with almost US$34 billion in assets, around R$170.7 billion.
Peter Jackson occupies 9th position, with US$1.9 billion, approximately R$9.54 billion. Known for directing the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, the filmmaker became a billionaire in 2021, after selling the technology division of his visual effects company Wētā FX to Unity Software for US$1.6 billion, approximately R$8.03 billion, in cash and shares. He is expected to return to the franchise that made him famous later this year, as producer of the film The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
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Kim Kardashian appears in 8th place, also with US$ 1.9 billion, approximately R$ 9.54 billion. The businesswoman gained fame as a star of the reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, but became a billionaire thanks to Skims, a shapewear brand valued by private investors at US$5 billion, approximately R$25.1 billion, in the most recent round of financing, in 2025.
Taylor Swift occupies 7th position, with US$2 billion, approximately R$10.04 billion. The singer became a billionaire in 2023, driven by earnings from the Eras tour and the value of her music catalogue. His fortune includes almost US$1 billion, around R$5.02 billion, accumulated from royalties and tours, in addition to a catalog valued at approximately US$900 million, around R$4.52 billion, and US$100 million, around R$502 million, in real estate.
Jay-Z is in 6th place, with US$2.8 billion, approximately R$14.06 billion. Since becoming hip-hop’s first billionaire in 2019, the rapper has almost tripled his fortune, driven by deals in the beverage sector. He sold 50% of the Armand de Brignac champagne brand, known as Ace of Spades, to LVMH in 2021, and most of his stake in D’Ussé cognac to Bacardi in 2023.
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Oprah Winfrey appears in 5th place, with US$3.2 billion, approximately R$16.06 billion. The presenter transformed her talk show, which aired for 25 years until 2011, into a media and business empire. Part of the profits were reinvested into a broad real estate portfolio that includes more than a dozen properties and 2,100 acres of land in Hawaii.
Vince McMahon occupies 4th position, with US$3.6 billion, approximately R$18.07 billion. He transformed World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, from a regional operation into a global phenomenon. McMahon combined WWE with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings in a US$21 billion merger in 2023. In 2024, he stepped down as executive chairman of TKO amid allegations of sexual misconduct, which he denies.
Michael Jordan appears in 3rd place, with US$4.3 billion, approximately R$21.59 billion. The former player’s salary during his NBA career totaled just US$90 million, approximately R$451.8 million, but he accumulated more than US$2 billion, approximately R$10.04 billion, before taxes with commercial partners such as Nike, Hanes and Gatorade. In 2023, he sold most of his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets, in a deal that valued the team at around US$3 billion, or R$15.1 billion, but would have kept a minority stake in the franchise.
George Lucas is in 2nd place, with US$5.2 billion, approximately R$26.1 billion. Creator of Star Wars and Indiana Jones, he sold Lucasfilm to Disney in 2012 for US$4 billion, approximately R$20.08 billion, in cash and shares. Today, he is more dedicated to philanthropy and the development of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, scheduled to open in Los Angeles this year.
Steven Spielberg leads the ranking, with US$7.1 billion, approximately R$35.64 billion. Co-founder of DreamWorks and the highest-grossing film director of all time, Spielberg still receives a cut of every ticket sold at Universal parks, thanks to hits like Jaws, Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones. His new film, the sci-fi thriller Disclosure Day, is scheduled for release in May.
