[imagesource:here]

COVID-19 has affected the world in surprising and unpredictable ways.

Initially, the pandemic impacted the world’s richest people, all of whom took a financial knock, including the man at the very top, Jeff Bezos.

Then things started to turn around as the items or services deemed essential to daily life changed in line with a new way of existing, alongside a highly infectious and rapidly spreading virus.

The result? The rich started getting richer.

There are two insights that can be gained from this exponential increase in wealth.

The first takes into account which industries are now considered the most valuable as the world implements extreme physical distancing measures and stay at home orders (albeit in different degrees).

This from Forbes:

Billionaires with net worths tied to stakes in technology companies have led the way for gains amid the pandemic. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite index turned positive for the year earlier this month, and it’s up 37% since March 23. The S&P 500 and Dow Jones, meanwhile, are up about 31% each–still down roughly 10% and 15% for the year, respectively.

Tech industries also include e-commerce, which has been rising to new heights since the pandemic took hold globally.

The second highlights the extreme inequality between the uber-rich and the other end of the wealth spectrum. Economies are crashing, jobs have been lost, and millions of people are struggling to make ends meet, worldwide.

With all of that in mind, let’s take a look at the top five richest people in the world, and their pandemic gains thus far.

The net worth change deals with the period from Monday, March 23, to Friday, May 22.

1. Jeff Bezos

NET WORTH | $146,9 BILLION, UP $29,9 BILLION
COUNTRY | UNITED STATES
SOURCE OF WEALTH | AMAZON

Bezos is only the second highest gainer next to Mark Zuckerberg. By mid-April, Amazon stocks surged to record highs, as did Bezos’ net worth. Since then, things have shown no sign of slowing down.

Since March 23, Amazon stock is up 29%. At the close of day Friday (May 22), Bezos was worth $146,9 billion, up $30 billion and 26%.

The billionaire has recently come under fire for putting personal gain and the gains of the company ahead of the health and safety of his workers.

2. Bill Gates

NET WORTH | $106,5 BILLION, UP $11,9 BILLION
COUNTRY | UNITED STATES
SOURCE OF WEALTH | MICROSOFT

Bill Gates might have gained from the pandemic, but he’s also putting a lot of effort into fighting it. From the get-go, he has dedicated his cash, resources, and mind to combatting COVID-19.

He has also been a voice of reason in America, when there appeared to be few others to inject sanity into the situation, and he continues to work towards a vaccine.

3. Bernard Arnault

NET WORTH | $94,1 BILLION, UP $12,8 BILLION
COUNTRY | FRANCE
SOURCE OF WEALTH | LVMH

4. Mark Zuckerberg

NET WORTH | $86,5 BILLION, UP $31,4 BILLION
COUNTRY | UNITED STATES
SOURCE OF WEALTH | FACEBOOK

While he still doesn’t top the rich list, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is the biggest dollar gainer in the top five. Facebook shares surged nearly 60% over the past two months, reaching an all-time high on Friday, May 22.

He has risen to the fourth richest person in the world from number seven on Forbes’ 2020 list of the World’s Billionaires.

According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, he’s actually the third richest person in the world.

5. Warren Buffett

NET WORTH | $69,2 BILLION, UP $6 BILLION
COUNTRY | UNITED STATES
SOURCE OF WEALTH | BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY

You can take in the rest of the list, here.

Just don’t check your bank balance before you do.

[source:forbes]