Methodology & Data Sources
How we estimate net worth in real time, where the data comes from, and — just as importantly — what these numbers are not.
How we calculate net worth
For each person, we split their wealth into two parts. The first is their stake in publicly-traded companies. We estimate how many shares they hold from public filings and reporting, multiply by the live market price, and convert to US dollars using current exchange rates. This part updates continuously while markets are open — it is what makes the list “real-time.”
The second part is everything else: private companies, cash, real estate, art, and other holdings that have no live market price. For these we use a single static estimate that we update manually. It does not move minute-to-minute.
A person's total is simply the sum of the two. Where someone's fortune is almost entirely private, the whole figure is a static estimate and won't tick during the day.
Where the data comes from
- Live share prices & exchange rates: Yahoo Finance, refreshed continuously (typically ~15-minute delayed).
- Share counts & company links: curated by hand from public sources such as SEC filings, exchange disclosures, and major news reporting.
- Biographies & photos: Wikipedia and its public API, where available.
- Private-asset estimates: our own manual estimates, informed by public reporting.
What these numbers are not
These are directional estimates for information only, not audited valuations or investment advice. We will frequently differ from Forbes and Bloomberg because share-count and private-asset assumptions vary between every source. The live-equity portion is precise; the estimated-holdings and private-asset portions are approximations and can be off.
We review the roster and its figures on an ongoing basis and correct errors as we find them. If a number looks wrong, it may simply be due for a review — the underlying share counts and private-asset estimates are the parts most likely to drift over time.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How accurate are these net worth figures?
- They are directional estimates, not audited figures. The live, publicly-traded portion is quite precise minute-to-minute, but our estimate of how many shares a person holds, and our valuation of their private assets, are approximations. Expect our numbers to differ from Forbes or Bloomberg — sometimes by billions — because everyone uses different share-count and private-asset assumptions.
- Why is your number different from Forbes or Bloomberg?
- Three reasons: (1) we estimate share counts independently from public reporting, and ours may differ; (2) private assets (companies, cash, real estate) have no market price, so every source values them differently; and (3) timing — we update continuously, so we may be capturing a different moment in the market than a once-a-day index.
- Are you affiliated with Forbes or Bloomberg?
- No. RealTimeBillionaire is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Forbes, Bloomberg, or any official rich list.
- How often do the numbers update?
- The publicly-traded portion refreshes continuously while the relevant stock markets are open (prices are typically delayed about 15 minutes). Private-asset estimates and share counts are reviewed and updated manually on a periodic basis.
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