Top 10 Richest Politicians In The World

When we talk about the richest people on earth, politicians are nowhere to be seen. Even though politicians serve as public servants with modest salaries officially, the reality is far from it. With many of the public leaders alleged to be worth billions, the list is a mixed bag, with many of them alleged to corrupt and control public resources. So, whether it's the mayor of New York or monarchs of the Gulf, check out which politicians make it to this top 10 list of richest politicians in the world. 

10. Alexander Lukashenko - $10 Billion

Despite denying his wealth, Lukashenko allegedly has a net worth of around $10 billion as of 2024. Leading Belarus since 1994, Lukashenko has been accused of hiding billions of dollars worth of wealth in countries like Switzerland and Dubai. WikiLeaks revealed that Lukashenko’s wealth was somewhere estimated to be $10 billion, making him one of the richest oligarchs in Belarus. News outlets from Poland also suggest that Lukashenko has a vast real estate portfolio, including a $250 million palace in Minsk and 17 personal residences. 

9. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum – $14 Billion

Prime Minister and Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed, is estimated to have a net worth of at least $14 billion as of 2024. Despite being a public leader, Sheikh Mohammed’s massive net wealth mostly comes from his two companies, Dubai Holding and Dubai World, later of which bring in $5 billion in revenue every year. Owning around 99.67% of Dubai Holding, the company includes several operating units like Jumeirah Group, TECOM Investments, Dubai Properties Group, and Emirates International Telecommunications, with total assets valued at around $130 billion. Sheikh Mohammed also has investments in American and European countries through his holding company, Dubai World. 

8. Prince Al Waleed Bin Talal Alsaud - $17 Billion

Member of the Saudi royal family, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Alsaud is a Saudi-based businessman and politician. Al-Waleed’s wealth comes from his company, Kingdom Establishment, through which he owns banks like United Saudi Commercial Bank and stakes in hotels like Four Seasons, the Plaza Hotel, and the George V Hotel. Al-Waleed also owns a 24% stake in Euro Disney and a 5% stake in Apple Inc. Other investments by AL-Waled include Motorola, Netscape, Fox Broadcasting, Priceline.com, News Corporation, and a massive $300 million stake in Twitter. Al-Walled’s wealth is reflected in his lifestyle, which includes a $500 million private jet and a 500,000-square-foot Kingdom Resort in central Riyadh. 

7. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan – $18 Billion

Member of the Royal family and son of Abu Dhabi’s founder and first president, Khalifa is a businessman and politician with a current net worth of around $18 billion. While his specific revenue streams are not publicly available, Khalifa and his family have taken in various businesses across different sectors, including finance, tourism, and manufacturing that contribute to the family's wealth. Khalifa also foresees the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), which manages the emirate’s oil reserves. As for investments, Khalifa is a keen investor in real estate, with sources suggesting a total of 170 properties worldwide, which are currently valued at a whopping $7.16 billion. 

6. Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah – $30 Billion

Also known as Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah has an estimated net worth of around $30 billion as of 2024. Bolkiah’s majority of wealth comes from his involvement in the oil and gas industry. Being the third-largest oil producer in Southeast Asia, Brunei has a joint venture with Shell called Brunei Shell Petroleum, which is the major source of income for both the nation and Bolkiah. Bolkiah, through his Brunei Investment Agency, with a total of $73 billion in assets, also owns The Beverly Hills Hotel, the Hotel Bel-Air, and The Dorchester (London). Bolkiah’s wealth is also reflected in his lavish billion-dollar car collection, which includes around 600 Rolls-Royce, 450 Ferraris, and 380 Bentleys. 

5. Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan – $30 Billion

Member of the ruling Al Nahyan family, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is a politician with a net worth of around $30 billion. Serving as the deputy prime minister and minister of presidential affairs of the UAE, Mansour has made high-profile investments to accumulate such massive wealth. This includes his ownership of the City Football Group, which has acquired Manchester City FC, Melbourne City FC, New York City FC, and Mumbai City FC. Other investments include a 32% stake in Richard Branson’s spaceflight company Virgin Galactic and an investment in Mercedes-Benz’s parent company, Daimler AG. Mansour also sold his stake in Barclays for a profit of more than $1.5 billion and has a diverse portfolio through his investment company Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG). 

4. Maha Vajiralongkorn – $43 Billion

Considered to be the world’s richest monarch, Maha Vajiralongkorn is the King of Thailand, who is alleged to have a net worth of $43 billion. Through his company, Crown Property Bureau, the monarch owns around 6,560 hectares of land and 40,000 rental contracts. Vajiralongkorn also owns a 32% stake in Siam Cement worth $13 billion and a 23% stake in Thailand’s largest bank, Siam Commercial Bank. 

3. Michael Bloomberg – $106 Billion

Former mayor of New York, Michael Bloomberg, is an American politician and entrepreneur with an estimated net worth of around $106 billion. Despite claiming a symbolic $1 salary while serving as the mayor of New York, Bloomberg’s status as a billionaire comes from his 88% stake in the privately held company Bloomberg LP. While information regarding Bloomberg LP’s revenue is not publicly available, as per Forbes, the company has estimated revenues of around $13 billion.

2. Vladimir Putin – $200 Billion

While the Russian president's official wealth declaration suggests that he has earned close to $700k between 2017 and 2022, Putin is alleged to have a total wealth ranging between $120 and $200 billion. Putin allegedly owns stakes in commodity firms secretly, including a 4.5% ownership stake in natural gas producer Gazprom, a 37% stake in oil company Surgutneftegas, and a 50% stake in Swiss oil trader Gunvor. While on paper Putin is the owner of a 16,000-square-foot plot of land in Moscow and a tiny garage, many have alleged that Putin owns ultra-luxuries, including a mansion and a private plane worth $700 million.

1. Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – $500 Billion

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has an estimated net worth of around $500 billion as of 2024. Serving as the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, Salman’s net worth has been estimated to be anywhere between $30 billion and $500 billion. While his exact holdings and assets are not publicly available, Salman’s and the royal family's control over Saudi Arabia’s massive oil reserves made him and his family the richest politicians in the world.