Zuckerberg Drops as Oracle Co-Founder Larry Ellison Becomes World’s Second-Richest Person

Mark Zuckerberg is no longer the world’s second-richest person. That title now belongs to Larry Ellison, the 80-year-old co-founder of Oracle.

Ellison’s wealth has grown massively in 2025, thanks to a big rise in Oracle’s stock price. His current net worth is $251 billion, making him richer than Zuckerberg, who has dropped to third place on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Ellison gained almost $60 billion this year alone.

The main reason for this rise? Oracle’s growing role in artificial intelligence (AI). The company’s stock has gone up 41% this year, especially in the last few weeks. Investors are excited about AI, and Ellison is right in the middle of that excitement.

Oracle is part of a huge U.S. government project called Stargate, which plans to invest $500 billion in AI technology over the next four years. Other big names involved include OpenAI, SoftBank, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Arm. Oracle is not just a member—it’s also one of the main technology partners.

Ellison was also part of the official launch of Stargate with other top tech leaders. His close involvement with the Biden administration’s AI plans has made Oracle a strong player in the global AI race.

Apart from the AI buzz, Oracle has also had strong earnings. In May, the company announced that it made nearly $16 billion in revenue for the last quarter—an 11% jump. It also plans to invest $3 billion in Germany and the Netherlands to grow its cloud and AI services in Europe.

However, not everyone is fully impressed. Some experts at Goldman Sachs warned that Oracle could be putting too much money into AI, which might affect future profits. Still, for now, the company is growing—and so is Ellison’s fortune.

Outside of business, Ellison is also focusing more on giving back. He renewed his promise to donate most of his money and launched a new effort called the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) at the University of Oxford. The goal is to use science and technology to tackle big world problems—like hunger, health care, and climate change.

Ellison says it’s not just about giving money to charities anymore. He wants to take a hands-on approach and create real solutions to global challenges.

So, while Zuckerberg may have slipped a step down the rich list, Larry Ellison is not only climbing higher—he’s also trying to make a bigger impact.

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