The United States has long attracted people with big ambitions. That is clear in the latest list of America’s richest immigrants, which shows how much of the country’s wealth has been built by people born elsewhere.
The 20 people on this list made their fortunes in industries that now shape daily life—electric vehicles, semiconductors, finance, media, cybersecurity, retail, and sports. Together, they show a simple reality: immigrants have played a central role in building the modern American economy.
The richest on the list
At the top is Elon Musk, with a net worth of $465.5 billion. Born in South Africa, Musk is far ahead of everyone else on the list. His wealth reflects the soaring value of companies working in electric vehicles, space, energy, and artificial intelligence. A large share of the total wealth on this list comes from him alone, showing how much influence a single tech founder can now have.
Next is Sergey Brin, the Russian-born co-founder of Google, with $211.9 billion. His fortune comes from search, advertising, and data—tools that quietly became the backbone of the internet economy.
Asian-born leaders in technology
A clear pattern in the ranking is the number of top technology leaders born in Asia. Jensen Huang, born in Taiwan and worth $162.3 billion, built his wealth in semiconductors. These chips now power everything from gaming devices to artificial intelligence systems.
Others lower on the list, such as David Sun and John Tu, linked to Taiwan and China, also made their money in chipmaking and electronics. These industries are no longer just commercial—they are critical to national security and global supply chains.
Finance and Wall Street
Not all of these fortunes came from tech startups. Thomas Peterffy, born in Hungary, is worth $77.7 billion after transforming electronic trading. His work helped change how financial markets operate around the world.
Ramzi Musallam ($10.8 billion) and Douglas Leone ($10.1 billion) represent private equity and venture capital. These investors often stay out of the spotlight, but they decide which companies get funding and which do not.
Media and influence
Immigrant wealth also appears in media. Rupert Murdoch, born in Australia, and his family hold $23.6 billion. His media businesses have influenced politics and public opinion in multiple countries for decades.
Miriam Adelson and her family, worth $40.8 billion, built wealth across healthcare, casinos, and political activity, showing how business and influence often overlap.
Cybersecurity and digital services
The middle of the list reflects newer industries. Adam Foroughi, born in Iran and worth $20.1 billion, and Jay Chaudhry, born in India with $16.8 billion, made their money in cybersecurity and enterprise software.
Their success comes from protecting data, networks, and communication systems—services that governments and companies now depend on every day.
Consumer businesses and sports
Some of the fortunes on the list come from traditional industries. Shahid Khan, born in Pakistan and worth $14.4 billion, built his wealth in manufacturing and later sports ownership. His story shows that long-term investment and industrial work still matter, even in a tech-focused economy.
Micky Arison ($9.6 billion) and Elisabeth DeLuca and her family ($9.0 billion) earned their wealth through consumer businesses, from cruise lines to food chains, proving that large-scale retail still generates enormous value.
A global background, one destination
The people on this list were born across South Asia, East Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and Australia. They work in many different sectors, from chips and software to finance, media, hospitality, and sports.
What they share is that they built their fortunes in the United States.
What the list shows
This ranking challenges the idea that immigration weakens an economy. These individuals did not just create wealth for themselves. They built companies, created jobs, and shaped entire industries.
Their stories point to a simple pattern: when skilled and ambitious people can move, money and innovation follow. Opportunity, when combined with talent, often leads to wealth.
As debates over immigration continue, this list serves as a reminder. Many of the industries driving the U.S. economy today were built not by people born in the country, but by people who chose to build their future there.
In economic terms, immigration has been one of America’s strongest long-term advantages.
