Today, becoming a millionaire isn’t as rare as it once was—in fact, in 2024 according to Forbes list there are about 20 billionaires in Africa and 22 million millionaires in the U.S. alone! Wealth has scaled up significantly since John D. Rockefeller became the first billionaire back in 1916 through his oil business.

Fast forward over a century, and we’re now talking about people whose fortunes are nearing $150 billion.

What Does it Take to Be a Trillionaire?

Being super-rich today doesn’t just happen. It involves having access to some investment opportunities that most people never get. However, there’s a limit to how fast even the wealthiest can grow their money. Doubling a $100 billion fortune is like trying to find a whole new, profitable country to invest in—not an easy or common opportunity.

Adding to the challenge, the rules of the game have changed. The government has clamped down on the kind of monopolistic tactics that created the first mega-wealthy industrialists. Taxes are higher, and tax loopholes are fewer than in the past.

Who’s in the Running?

Among those who might reach that trillion-dollar mark, we’ve got tech giants and investors like Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Mark Zuckerberg. Bezos and Musk are in their 50s with fortunes just over $200 billion, while Zuckerberg, a bit younger at 39, is already worth around $177 billion. The younger you are, the better your chances, assuming your wealth can grow significantly every year.

Looking Outside the Box

Then there’s Craig Venter, a scientist known for pioneering work in genomics. He’s currently focused on synthetic biology, which could have applications from clean fuels to curing diseases—a potential trillion-dollar jackpot if he hits on something revolutionary.

A Trillion Dollars: How Big Is That?

To put $1 trillion in perspective, it’s about the economic output of entire countries like the Netherlands or Indonesia. With $1 trillion, you could buy every share of massive companies like ExxonMobil, McDonald’s, and Coca-Cola and still have money to spare.

So, Who’ll Be First?

Predicting who will first reach that astronomical level of wealth is tricky. It might be someone who is already rich, or it could be a dark horse who comes up with the next world-changing idea. In any case, reaching $1 trillion is not just about having a lot of money—it’s about reshaping economies and possibly even how we live.

while we’re seeing wealth grow to unprecedented levels, the journey to $1 trillion is more complicated than just making more money. It involves innovation, economic shifts, and a bit of good timing. Who will get there first? We’ll just have to wait and see.