The World's Wealthiest Women: Top 10 Billionaires with Stakes in Global Economy

The world's 10 richest women have a combined wealth of $250 billion and hold significant stakes in various industries, including retail, cosmetics, and chemicals. The top 3 richest women are Alice Walton ($118 billion), Francoise Bettencourt Meyers ($93.4 billion), and Julia Flesher Koch and family ($80.5 billion). These women inherited their wealth and have expanded or diversified their family businesses over the years.

The world's 10 richest women, according to the latest Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of July 25, 2025, possess a combined wealth of $250 billion. This elite group holds significant stakes in various industries, including retail, cosmetics, and chemicals. The top three wealthiest women are Alice Walton ($118 billion), Francoise Bettencourt Meyers ($93.4 billion), and Julia Flesher Koch and family ($80.5 billion), all of whom inherited their fortunes and have expanded or diversified their family businesses over the years.

Alice Walton, the only daughter of Walmart founder Sam Walton, inherited her share of the family's retail fortune. She co-manages Walton Enterprises and holds a significant stake in Walmart, which has seen its stock price climb over the years. Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, the heiress to the L’Oréal fortune, inherited the cosmetics giant after her mother's death. She retired from L’Oréal's board of directors in February 2025 but remains the biggest shareholder with an almost 35 percent stake. Julia Flesher Koch and her family inherited a 42 percent stake in Koch Industries, the second-largest privately held company in America, after the death of her husband, David Koch, in 2019.

The remaining women on the list include Jacqueline Mars, the matriarch of candy company Mars Inc., Abigail Johnson, CEO and president of Fidelity Investments, MacKenzie Scott, who received Amazon shares valued at $36 billion following her divorce from Jeff Bezos, Miriam Adelson, who inherited controlling stakes in Las Vegas Sands Corp., Iris Fontbona, Chile's richest woman, Savitri Jindal, the matriarch of the Jindal Group, and Susanne Klatten, who owns significant stakes in BMW and Altana.

These women's wealth is tied to various sectors and industries, reflecting the diversity of their investments. While some actively run their businesses, others practice philanthropy in the arts, sciences, and tech. Their wealth is primarily derived from owning large stakes in major companies, highlighting the power of equity in building lasting wealth.

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[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/world-10-richest-women-wealthiest-154540637.html