Old money
The world's 25 wealthiest families, where wealth has been passed down over at least one generation, are now collectively worth a cool $2.1 trillion, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
At the top of the list is a new entrant to the rankings: the house of Al Nahyan, the ruling family of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and owners of the UK soccer club Manchester City. The family’s $305 billion net worth topples the lists previous leaders, America’s Walton family (heirs to the Walmart fortune, which we explored in detail in a recent Sunday deep dive).
With first-generation money excluded, the industries on this list of dynasties look quite different to most modern rich lists, which are often dominated by tech entrepreneurs. Indeed, the majority of families listed owe their prosperity to physical, rather than digital, empires.
With many fortunes tracing back to just one individual, or one company, the most interesting families on this list are arguably the ones that have passed their wealth down the most number of generations. On that measure, the Al Thani family — who have ruled Qatar since the mid-19th century — are worth noting, having maintained their enormous fortune (currently estimated at $133bn) across a staggering 8 generations.
