Oracle's Larry Ellison Becomes World's Second-Richest Person as Stock Surges Amid AI Deals and US Government Easing Export Restrictions.

Larry Ellison, Oracle's co-founder and chairman, has overtaken Mark Zuckerberg to become the world's second-richest person with a net worth of $251 billion. Ellison's wealth surged as Oracle shares climbed 47.27% in the last six months, driven by multibillion-dollar cloud deals and partnerships with OpenAI and SoftBank Group. The company's stock has nearly tripled since OpenAI released ChatGPT in November 2022. Ellison's net worth has increased by $59 billion this year, surpassing Zuckerberg's gain of $43.4 billion.

Larry Ellison, Oracle Corporation's co-founder and chairman, has overtaken Mark Zuckerberg to become the world's second-richest person, according to Bloomberg's Billionaire Index. Ellison's net worth stands at $251 billion, surpassing Zuckerberg's $251 billion. This significant shift in wealth is attributed to Ellison's $59 billion gain in 2025, compared to Zuckerberg's $43.4 billion increase over the same period [1].

The surge in Ellison's wealth is largely due to the substantial growth of Oracle shares, which climbed 47.27% in the last six months. This upward trend was driven by multibillion-dollar cloud deals and strategic partnerships, notably with OpenAI and SoftBank Group. Oracle's stock has nearly tripled since OpenAI released ChatGPT in November 2022 [2].

Oracle's recent success can be attributed to its involvement in the Stargate project, a $500 billion infrastructure initiative involving OpenAI, Oracle, and SoftBank. The company recently secured a $30 billion AI cloud deal with OpenAI, which is set to begin contributing revenue in fiscal year 2028. This long-term agreement highlights Oracle's commitment to the AI cloud infrastructure market [3].

The $30 billion deal with OpenAI is a significant strategic victory for Oracle. It not only boosts Oracle's cloud revenue but also positions the company as a major player in the AI infrastructure cloud market. For OpenAI, this partnership ensures resilience and optimizes its compute resources by diversifying its infrastructure providers beyond a single dominant partner like Microsoft.

In conclusion, Larry Ellison's rise to the second-richest person in the world underscores the growing importance of AI and cloud infrastructure in the tech industry. The Oracle CEO's wealth surge is a testament to the company's strategic partnerships and the increasing demand for AI-driven solutions.

References:
[1] https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46435552/larry-ellison-surges-past-mark-zuckerberg-to-become-worlds-second-richest-person-as-oracles-ai-deals-with-openai-us-government-drive-massive-stock-surge
[2] https://aragonresearch.com/oracle-secures-30-billion-ai-cloud-deal/
[3] https://www.business-standard.com/world-news/softbank-s-son-and-openai-s-altman-see-no-end-to-ai-demand-and-scaling-125071600214_1.html