Jeff Bezos becomes the first person ever to be worth $200 billion

According to multiple reports, Bezos is now the first person in the world to have a net worth of $200 billion.

The Amazon CEO was already the richest person in the world, but has seen a net increase to $200 billion from $74 billion during the span of 2020. The net worth of Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos eclipsed $200 billion on Wednesday as shares of the e-commerce giant climbed to a record. 

The move simultaneously pushed his ex-wife MacKenzie Scott, 50, to the brink of becoming the world’s richest woman, just behind L’Oreal SA heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers. 

CEO Jeff Bezos on Wednesday saw his net worth soar above $202 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, making him the first person to cross the $200 billion threshold. He’s now $78 billion richer than Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, who stands at number two. 

The Amazon founder’s personal wealth, which is mostly in Amazon stock, has skyrocketed in recent years along with the company’s share price. Bezos became the world’s richest man in recent history in 2018 when his personal wealth climbed above $150 billion. He first became the richest man in the world in 2017. Amazon shares hit record highs in April on the back of unprecedented demand from consumers, and the stock has continued to rise, adding hundreds of billions to its market value and giving investors a gain of more than 86% this year so far. 

As of Wednesday, the company is worth more than $1.7 trillion, making it the second-most valuable company in the U.S., trailing only Apple.