The World’s Richest Self-Made Women In 2024

It’s a rare thing to be a woman billionaire. Just 369—or 13%—of the 2,781 people on Forbes’ 2024 list of the World’s Billionaires are women. Within that cohort is an even rarer subset, accounting for just 3.6% of the list: women who made their ten-figure fortunes themselves.

This elite group includes entrepreneurs (like Spanx’s Sarah Blakely), entertainers (Taylor Swift), cofounders–including women who started businesses with their husbands (Panda Express’ Peggy Cherng)–and hired hands, meaning executives brought on to run companies (former Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg).

Despite their relatively small number, there are more self-made women billionaires this year than ever before—and nearly four times the number there were a decade ago. One thing that hasn’t changed: the group is dominated by women from China and the U.S., with 43 Chinese citizens (including 7 from Hong Kong) and 30 Americans.

The richest self-made woman for the second year in a row is Rafaela Aponte-Diamant of Switzerland. She cofounded and co-owns MSC, the world’s largest shipping line and clocks in as the world’s 48th richest person, worth an estimated $33.1 billion. The second richest is Diane Hendricks of the U.S., who cofounded building materials business ABC Supply with her husband and has chaired it since he passed away in 2007. Hendricks, worth an estimated $20.9 billion, is the world’s No. 92 richest.

This year, 15 newcomers join the ranks of self-made women billionaires, most notably pop star Taylor Swift. The superstar singer, who wowed audiences with her Eras tour and concert film last year, is worth an estimated $1.1 billion. Two other tech newcomers got rich in large part due to in AI: Lisa Su, the CEO of semiconductor firm Advanced Micro Devices (estimated net worth $1.3 billion), and Canadian tech exec Michelle Zatlyn ($1.2 billion), cofounder, president and chief operating officer of cybersecurity and internet infrastructure firm Cloudflare, shares of which surged 65% over the past year.

Fashion mogul Tory Burch ($1 billion) returns to the billionaire ranks after an eight-year hiatus, thanks to a resurgence in revenues of her namesake fashion brand. Other notable self-made women billionaires include Oprah Winfrey ($2.8 billion), Skims cofounder and reality TV star Kim Kardashian ($1.7 billion) and singer-turned-beauty mogul Rihanna ($1.4 billion).

10. Wu Yajun

Net Worth: $5.8 Billion | Age: 60 | Source of Wealth: Real estate | Citizenship: China

Difficulties in China’s real estate market hit the stock price of Hong Kong-listed developer Longfor Properties, which Wu cofounded with her now ex-husband, billionaire Cai Kui, in 1993. Shares fell more than 50% over the past year, erasing $4.3 billion from Wu’s fortune.Wu stepped down as chairman in 2022 but still has an estimated 43% stake in the company.

9. Zhou Qunfei

Net Worth: $6.1 Billion | Age: 54 | Source of Wealth: Smartphone screens | Citizenship: Hong Kong

Her Shenzhen-listed company Lens Technology manufactures touch screens for Apple, Tesla and Samsung smartphones. She was a migrant factory worker as a teenager, started Lens Technology in 2003 and took the company public in 2015. Her fortune is unchanged from a year ago.

8. Wang Laichun

Net Worth: $6.6 Billion | Age: 56 | Source of Wealth: Electronics components | Citizenship: Hong Kong

Wang Laichun and her billionaire brother Wang Laisheng started Chinese electronics manufacturer Luxshare Precision Industry in 2004. Wang Laichun—who also goes by Grace Wang—chairs the supplier to Apple and owns about 17% of the Shenzhen-listed company, which went public in 2010.