Vietnamese billionaire Pham Nhat Vuong surpasses Samsung Electronics chairman in Forbes global rich list

His net worth is estimated at US$27.7 billion, marking a dramatic rise from the $1.5 billion fortune in 2013.

Forbes had calculated its rankings using stock prices and exchange rates as of March 1.

At age 44, Vuong became the first Vietnamese national to appear on the Forbes billionaire list in 2013.

At that time, he ranked 974th among 1,426 billionaires worldwide, with an estimated net worth of $1.5 billion.

Two years earlier, in March 2011, he made history as the first U.S. dollar billionaire on Vietnam’s stock market and remained the country’s richest person on the exchange for many years.

According to Forbes, Vuong’s fortune is primarily derived from his large shareholding in Vingroup, a diversified conglomerate with major interests in real estate, commerce, and services.

While the group has been developing numerous large-scale property projects across Vietnam, its stock VIC is surging on the market, boosting his wealth.

Vuong’s net worth has reached a record $27.7 billion, over 18 times higher than when he first appeared on the billionaire list.

His fortune now significantly surpasses that of U.S. president Donald Trump, who ranks 645th with $6.5 billion.

Vuong also overtook several prominent global tycoons, including Jay Y. Lee, chairman of Samsung Electronics, who ranks 95th with $27 billion, Wang Chuanfu, founder and CEO of BYD, ranked 116th with $21.5 billion, and media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who stands at 112th with $22.7 billion.

Russian industrial magnate Vladimir Sergeyevich Lisin, chairman and principal shareholder of steel giant Novolipetsk Steel, also trails Vuong, ranking 101st with a net worth of more than $25 billion.

More billionaires, greater wealth

The 2026 Forbes list also reflects the growing wealth within Vingroup’s ecosystem.

Two women linked to the conglomerate have joined the ranks of billionaires.

They include Pham Thu Huong, Vingroup’s vice chairwoman and Vuong’s wife, whose fortune is estimated at about $3 billion, and Pham Thuy Hang, Vuong’s sister-in-law and another vice chairwoman of the group, with an estimated $2.1 billion.

Overall, Vietnam now has eight individuals on the global billionaire ranking.

Forbes noted that there has never been a better time to be a billionaire.

Fueled by the boom in artificial intelligence, buoyant markets, and supportive fiscal policies, a record 3,428 entrepreneurs, investors, and heirs made the global billionaire list this year, more than 400 additional names compared with 2025.

Collectively, they are richer than ever, with total wealth reaching an unprecedented $20.1 trillion, up $4 trillion from the previous year.

The United States remains the country with the largest number of billionaires, with a record 989 individuals, including 15 among the world’s top 20 richest people.

China ranks second with 610 billionaires, followed by India with 229.