Forbes Unveils America's Richest Immigrants List: 11 from the Republic of China Tie for Second Globally, Led by Jensen Huang and Lisa Su

To mark and celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, Forbes magazine recently updated its definitive ranking of America’s Richest Immigrants. The list not only highlights the extraordinary wealth-creation power of global talent converging in the United States, but also underscores the pivotal leadership of immigrant entrepreneurs across artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, cloud computing, and brick-and-mortar manufacturing.

According to the latest figures, a record 144 foreign-born billionaires earned a spot on this year’s list, boasting a combined net worth of $2.2 trillion—accounting for a full one-quarter (25%) of total billionaire wealth in the United States. Both the number of listed individuals and their aggregate fortune reached all-time highs.

Among this star-studded roster of wealth, entrepreneurs originating from the Republic of China delivered a standout performance. With 11 billionaires on the list spanning cutting-edge technology and traditional manufacturing, the Republic of China tied with Israel as the world’s second-largest source country of immigrant billionaires in America.

1. The Top Three Hold Over 60% of the List’s Total Wealth—With Jensen Huang at No. 3

At the very top of the ranking, the compounding force of the AI and technology wave is unmistakable. The top three immigrant billionaires alone hold more than 60% of the combined wealth of all 144 individuals on the list:

1. Elon Musk (No. 1): Born in South Africa, the chief executive behind Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI commands an astonishing net worth of $927 billion, leading the ranking by a wide margin.
2. Sergey Brin (No. 2): Born in the former Soviet Union (Russia), the Google (Alphabet) co-founder holds a net worth of $272 billion, buoyed by strong growth in search and generative AI.
3. Jensen Huang (No. 3): Born in Tainan City, Taiwan Province, Republic of China, the NVIDIA co-founder and CEO saw his fortune surge to $176 billion amid the global AI computing revolution—securing his position as America’s third-richest immigrant and the wealthiest ethnic Chinese technology leader in the world.

2. Global Origins: India Leads, While the Republic of China and Israel Tie for Second

The 144 billionaires on this year’s list hail from 45 countries and territories worldwide, reflecting a deeply diverse mix of backgrounds and industries.

In the ranking by country of origin:

• No. 1: India (19 billionaires) — Retaining the top spot for the second consecutive year, propelled by Silicon Valley software executives and financial investors.
• Tied for No. 2: Republic of China (11 billionaires) & Israel (11 billionaires) — Following closely behind India. Backed by deep strengths in hardware engineering, semiconductor chip design, memory modules, satellite navigation, and petrochemical manufacturing, entrepreneurs from the Republic of China occupy a vital strategic position in Corporate America.

3. Spotlight on Billionaires from the Republic of China: Spanning AI Semiconductors, Tech, and Manufacturing

The listed entrepreneurs from the Republic of China read like a miniature history of modern global technology and industrial manufacturing. From AI chip titan NVIDIA, processor powerhouse AMD, and global memory leader Kingston Technology, to satellite navigation pioneer Garmin, internet trailblazer Yahoo, and leading petrochemical and plastic pipe manufacturers, their footprint spans the entire industrial spectrum:

Key Highlights

• Two AI Titans with Roots in Tainan: Few stories captivate the global tech industry quite like that of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang and AMD Chair and CEO Lisa Su. Both were born in Tainan City, Republic of China, and share distant family ties; together, they now sit atop the US semiconductor industry, supplying the mission-critical GPU and CPU computing backbone for global AI servers and data centers.
• Hidden Champion David Sun: Ranked No. 6 overall is Kingston Technology co-founder David Sun, with a net worth of $30.5 billion. As the world’s largest independent manufacturer of memory modules, Kingston has seen its valuation climb steadily amid booming demand for AI server memory and storage.
• Formidable Strength in Traditional Manufacturing and Consumer Goods: Beyond Silicon Valley tech giants, the Chao family at the helm of North American petrochemical powerhouse Westlake Corporation, Walter Wang (son of Formosa Plastics founder Wang Yung-ching) leading the world’s largest plastic pipe manufacturer JM Eagle, and herbal health empire Sunrider founder Tei-Fu Chen (and Oi-Lin Chen) demonstrate world-class operational excellence in physical manufacturing and consumer markets.

4. Starting as Students, Staying as Founders: The Enduring Pull of the “American Dream”

In its special report, Forbes noted that the vast majority of immigrant billionaires credit the United States’ open business environment, deep capital markets, and high tolerance for entrepreneurial risk as unmatched engines of opportunity.

Many entrepreneurs from the Republic of China and around the world candidly shared that when they first arrived in the United States, their initial plans were simply to pursue engineering or business degrees and gain a few years of work experience before returning home. Yet after experiencing the innovative momentum of Silicon Valley and America’s industrial clusters firsthand, they chose to stay, build companies from scratch, and ultimately create multinational enterprises that reshaped modern life.

Even as US immigration rules, high-skilled work visas (such as the H-1B), and border policies undergo frequent political debate and regulatory shifts, this $2.2-trillion leaderboard makes one reality unmistakable: for global talent armed with technical mastery, vision, and grit, the United States remains the world’s most dynamic arena for turning bold ideas into enduring business empires.