What Do Billionaires Actually Spend Their Money On?

Astonishing new data has revealed that the five wealthiest entrepreneurs in the world have a whopping combined net worth of more than £319 billion. From Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, to Facebook creator, Mark Zuckerberg – the world’s five foremost self-made business owners earn well into the billion dollar bracket.

Despite many businesses and thought leaders promoting diversity as essential for the modern world, the somewhat disappointing list reveals that the top five billionaires primarily fit the white-male archetype, with four out of the five entrepreneurs both strongly Caucasian and hailing from the United States.

More interesting though, is that three of the five billionaires made their money digitally – revealing technology’s further world domination as a wildly lucrative industry. Of course, this is not wholly surprising given the digital age we find ourselves in, and historical technological breakthroughs such as Elon Musk recently sending a car into space.

The five wealthiest business owners are listed as:

1. Jeff Bezos
   Net worth: £87 billion
   Citizenship: United States
   Industry: Technology
   Business: Amazon
   
   2. Bill Gates
   Net worth: £66 billion
   Citizenship: United States
   Industry: Technology
   Business: Microsoft

   3. Warren Buffett
   Net worth: £62 billion
   Citizenship: United States
   Industry: Diversified
   Business: Berkshire Hathaway

   4. Mark Zuckerberg
   Net worth: £53 billion
   Citizenship: United States
   Industry: Technology
   Business: Facebook

   5. Amancio Ortega
   Net worth: £51 billion
   Citizenship: Spain
   Industry: Retail
   Business:Inditex

These five billionaires narrowly beat out the likes of conglomerate owner Carlos Slim (worth £48 billion), LVMH fashion chair Bernard Arnault (worth £47 billion), Oracle founder Larry Ellison (worth £40 billion) and the co-founders of Google, Larry Page (worth £38 billion) and Sergey Brin (worth £37 billion) respectively.

Since each entrepreneur was born to be a billionaire, their spending possibilities are virtually limitless – so why not splash out in style?

Looking for somewhere suitably extravagant to live? Due to be completed in Spring 2018, the One in Bel Air will become the world’s most expensive house – standing at 100,000 square-feet, complete with 20 bedrooms and panoramic floor-to-ceiling views over Los Angeles and Century City. This palatial pad can be purchased for an eye-watering £369 million.

What about a tropical getaway for those long weekends? A slice of paradise is a must for any self-respecting billionaire and Rang Yai island offers the usual crystal blue seas along with 110 acres of uninterrupted rainforest, a cutting-edge electricity generator and mobile signal for the solid sum of £130 million.

If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, you could always speed down the highway in a Mercedes-Benz Maybach Exelero, that is if you don’t mind spending £5.8 million on a one-of-a-kind car. The option to coast along the waves in a luxurious yacht is a potential upgrade too. In fact Azzam, the fastest yacht in the world at 30 knots, can be purchased for “only” £390 million.

Meaning “dedication” in Arabic, Azzam is also officially the longest superyacht in the world at 590 feet! Currently owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nayan, President of the United Arab Emirates, we’re sure the right billionaire could always make him an offer!

Or, if sailing isn’t quite your thing – why not go the whole hog with a private plane? The Airbus A380 Superjumbo Jet reportedly contains a two car garage, not to mention a stable, “wellness” area and even a hawk room! The luxurious features are hindered only by the cost of £361 million – but that’s practically small change for the world’s richest individuals.

What would you buy if you had the cash to spare?

Would you purchase a piece of history with Marilyn Monroe’s JFK Birthday Dress (£3.5 million), dazzling technology with a sleek Black Diamond iPhone (£10 million), score the world’s largest Constellation Diamond (£46 million) or even Da Vinci’s priceless painting, the Salvator Mundi (£342 million)?

Or, like so many rich investors these days, would you simply plough your money back into your business or simply invest in some hot stocks or a cutting-edge cryptocurrency?