Forbes 2026 US 400 Richest List Threshold Hits Record High

The threshold to be included on Forbes' 2026 list of the 400 wealthiest individuals in the United States has reached a historic high of $4.4 billion. Fueled by the boom in artificial intelligence and data centers, this entry requirement increased by $600 million from the previous year. The total wealth of the 400 individuals on this year's list also set a new record, amounting to $8 trillion.

Elon Musk once again tops the list, having doubled his personal fortune over the past year. While Musk saw the largest absolute increase in wealth, venture capitalist Josh Kushner experienced the most striking percentage growth, with his wealth increasing by over 220 percent. Despite the significantly higher entry bar, 34 new individuals joined the list this year, including over a dozen AI industry magnates.

Greg Brockman, co-founder and president of OpenAI, emerged as the highest-net-worth newcomer on the 2026 Forbes US 400 list, with an estimated personal fortune of $25.5 billion, largely derived from his equity in OpenAI. Brockman now ranks 45th among America's wealthiest, positioned just below Nike co-founder Phil Knight and above Fox News Media tycoon Rupert Murdoch.

Brockman's net worth significantly surpasses that of his CEO, Sam Altman, whose personal wealth is estimated at approximately $3.3 billion. Altman does not directly hold equity in OpenAI and therefore did not qualify for this year's Forbes 400. Brockman's wealth is also more than triple that of OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, whose stake in the company was valued at $7 billion when he testified in court.

Forbes reporter Alicia Park noted that Brockman's ascent from a quiet engineer to the company's wealthiest employee is not just a story of resilience, but also reflects his consistent loyalty to Altman. As OpenAI plans for a potential IPO in 2027, both leaders face scrutiny over unfulfilled AI safety commitments and the industry's high-cost operational model.